This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Paul Jones
In the early stages of any software platform, the codebase is often a battlefield—features are shipped fast, edge cases are patched on the fly, and architectural purity takes a backseat to survival. But then something shifts. Quietly, unmistakably, the system begins to speak for itself.
That’s where we are now.
Our recent work has revealed a pattern—not just in the code, but in the philosophy behind it. When design patterns, inheritance, generics, and reflection all take center stage, it’s more than a technical milestone. It’s a signal that the platform is maturing. Each principle promotes reuse in its own right. Together, they’re a force multiplier.
Design Patterns as Narrative Structure
We’ve leaned into the Template Method pattern to govern how legal deadlines are processed. The base class defines the flow:
- Identify the trigger event
- Apply the base limitation
- Layer in discovery rules, tolling, and repose
- Record an auditable result
- Derived classes override only what’s necessary—just like statutory exceptions modifying common law. It’s not just elegant; it’s jurisprudential.
Inheritance as Legal DNA
Our base utility now serves as the “common law” of the system. It encodes the default rules for:
- Limitation periods
- Discovery logic
- Minor tolling
- Statute of repose
Each derived utility—whether for personal injury, medical malpractice, or motor vehicle claims—inherits this foundation and introduces overrides only where the law demands nuance. It’s inheritance with discernment.
Generics for Repeatability
We’ve begun abstracting shared behaviors into generic utilities—hydrating rule sets, generating audit trails, and managing extension logic.
This isn’t just DRY code. It’s a framework for onboarding new practice areas with surgical precision—and every new rule automatically inherits the same audit-ready scaffolding.
Reflection for Extensibility
Reflection allows us to instantiate calculators dynamically based on metadata and rule types.
No fragile switch statements.
No hard-coded logic.
Just clean, data-driven instantiation that respects exclusivity while enabling scale.
The Force Multiplier
These principles aren’t just academic. They’ve transformed how we build:
Lean codebase: Duplication is gone. Shared logic lives in one place.
Reduced bugs: Fixes in the base class propagate everywhere.
Fast extensibility: Adding a new calculator is now a seven-step, repeatable process.
Audit by design: Every deadline decision leaves a transparent, explainable trail.
Closing Thought
This refactor wasn’t just about code. It was about alignment. By treating our base utility as “common law” and our overrides as “statutory exceptions,” we’ve created a system that respects the law’s structure and delivers maintainable, audit-defensible software.
If you’re a developer who sees architecture as narrative, and reuse as stewardship, we’re building something you’ll want to be part of.
About the Author
My name is Paul A. Jones Jr., and I am a software engineer and legal tech founder developing tools for professionals in law and other regulated industries. I write about systems thinking, modern workflows, and SaaS applications at PaulJonesSoftware.com. Follow me on Twitter: @PaulAJonesJr.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Paul Jones