Indianapolis attorney Derrick Morgan Jr. told CNBC in January that earning $10,000 in a single month on Fiverr convinced him to quit his law-firm desk.
That jolt came when COVID-19 halted court dates, slashing contingency fees junior associates counted on, and sparking a pivot. Today, the 34-year-old earns more than $350,000 a year by filing trademarks for entrepreneurs in the gig economy.
Pandemic Slowdown Spurs Side Hustle
Morgan's cousin asked for help securing a trademark for a fledgling architecture firm in early 2020. "Alright, sure, I'll help you… This will be pro bono," he recalled, adding the task "was like riding a bike" after years away from intellectual-property work.
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He told CNBC that the timing proved perfect: courthouse closures paused most litigation, so he listed his trademark services on Fiverr.
Demand arrived fast. His first month brought $180—just enough for a phone bill—yet by the third month, revenue hit $5,000. Month four cracked the $10,000 mark, which reset his career expectations.
Morgan's approachable style resonated with founders, and reviews soon earned him Fiverr's Top Rated Seller badge—the marketplace's highest tier.
Fiverr Sales Rocket Past Phone-Bill Money
"Obviously, I still thought it was a fluke," he said. Morgan kept both jobs for months, logging hours and filing trademarks by night.
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"I didn't want to quit my job after just four good months," he said during the interview. Yet referrals poured in, and by early 2021, the side hustle regularly topped his associate’s salary. He trimmed his firm schedule to part time before resigning that summer to run a practice.
Platform momentum helped. Fiverr International (NYSE:FVRR), which operates the Fiverr freelance marketplace, reported that Q1 2025 revenue rose 14.6% year over year, underscoring demand for freelance services.
Taking The Leap From Firm To Freedom
According to CNBC, the business now generates nearly $500,000 in annual sales. Morgan pays himself a $350,000 salary and reinvests the rest into marketing and automation. A paralegal handles intake while an AI assistant drafts routine filings, letting Morgan focus on review.
Procedural work keeps turnaround quick: he charges $600 and $800 per filing, well above the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's $350 base filing fee.
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Morgan credits standardized workflows for supporting volume without sacrificing accuracy. "A lot of these prospective clients… have never dealt with a big fancy attorney who's going to confuse them," he said, highlighting that clear language keeps customer satisfaction high and refunds low.
Earning Power Fuels Nomad Lifestyle
Morgan cares more about freedom than luxury. He divides his time between Dallas and Mexico City, where lower living costs let him invest 40% of his income toward achieving financial independence by age 45.
Remote work opens his travel schedule—he has already visited more than 60 countries—and lets him serve clients across time zones.
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Image: Shutterstock
