Startups in the Nigerian business ecosystem are becoming quite far-reaching with their tendency to challenge the status quo in different sectors. You can find them springing up in finance (Flutterwave), e-commerce (Yudala), logistics (Max.NG), transportation (Uber), agriculture (Kitovu), and even in the medical fields (MDaaS). But now, startups have begun to emerge in the legal sector.
The introduction of LegalTech startups is quite surprising as the legal sector is a relatively conservative field. In Nigeria for instance, lawyers still wear court dresses when appearing in court; a practice learned from the British.
However, over the last few years, startups have sprung up to alter how legal services are rendered and to make these services more accessible to a much wider audience.
In this article, I’ll share four startups disrupting the Nigerian legal sector.
LawPadi
LawPadi offers businesses and individuals with legal advisory services, regulatory assistance, and related information. Founded by Tunde Ibidapo-Obe, the startup debuted way back in 2015.
LawPadi was started as a platform to provide free legal information to Nigerians. “Our goal is to educate the average Nigerian about their rights and duties by giving clear and easy to understand answers to questions about the law and how it affects their daily lives.”
https://twitter.com/LawPadi/status/989841616180572160
On the platform, users can submit their legal questions and get responses from qualified lawyers within 24 hours. The startup also offers business legal services such as trademark registration, change of name, and registration of a business name.
LegitNG
LegitNG is another interesting legal startup. Founded Enyioma Madubuike, LegitNG is an online legal content and referral platform. LegitNG provides services such as item procurement contracts, advertising framework agreements, and celebrity endorsement agreements.
Access to the law should not be so hard. @Legitng is re-engineering access to legal information and services in Nigeria. We are leveraging technology to open up easier pathways to Nigerian law for anyone, anywhere in the world.
— Your lawyer's attorney 👌 (@philkingenyioma) June 22, 2018
The platform also offers a monthly subscription service to help you with all your legal affairs. Their prices range from as little as N5000 onetime fee to N14665 per year.
LawStrive
Launched in 2017, LawStrive is one of the newer startups in the legal sector. The service offers users free advice and education on legal matters.
Nigerians are actually working towards making life better! This week i stumbled upon @LawStrive an online platform where you can get advice and solutions for all legal matters. Their team of Lawyers educate you on how best to go about legal matters. Amazing!!!! Great job guys.
— Ivy Marshall (@Ivy_Marshall) June 4, 2018
LawStrive promises users “instant advice” from qualified lawyers as well as news and information about developments in the legal field. Interestingly too, the service allows registered users to post jobs and get assistance from qualified lawyers. It’s like OLX, but for law issues.
Other services rendered by LawStrive include VAT/TIN registration, copyrights issues, business name registration, among many others.
DIYLaw
This is one of the most innovative start-ups in the legal field. DIYLaw was founded by Bola Olonisakin, Funkola Odeleye, and Odunoluwa Longe. The platform specializes in providing access to legal services, information and service providers for entrepreneurs.
Either you are planning to register your business name or to incorporate your business, WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED😎
Simply visit https://t.co/GHTwUHj8XC to get started!
It's SIMPLE, EASY, STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND WITHOUT STRESS😊.
Visit now!
Share with a friend who needs this#DIYlawNG pic.twitter.com/xUE4WB6TQE— DIYlawNG (@DIYlawNG) July 9, 2018
Like the previous services, DIYLaw provides legal assistance such as company registration, trademark registration, business name registration, TIN/VAT registration, Non-Disclosure Agreements preparation, among a few others.
However, its unique proposition is its technological infrastructure. DIYLaw uses a fully robust tech platform to enable users to get all their legal work done in record time.
https://twitter.com/Accounteer/status/995196929901514753
Also, with the DIY Engage feature, the service helps users easily find lawyers for a task. The list of lawyers is sortable by state or practice area. It is a unique feature most people will be sure to want.
Additionally, for its innovations, DIYlaw won the 2015 Innovating Justice Award by the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law (HiiL). The startup got a $40,000 reward for its work. Not a bad feat.
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