The legal profession is currently facing something of a paradox: today’s law students face decreasing job prospects and are graduating with more than $100,000 in debt, yet depending on the area of law, more than half of Canadians cannot afford a lawyer.
CDN Channel Elite Award nominee DAABA (the company does not specify what the acronym stands for) wants to do something about that.
The Toronto-based mobile developer’s signature app allows anyone who needs legal help, including employees, middle managers, and small- and medium-sized business owners, to seek legal help in their area at a rate that fits their budget, by connecting them with legal service providers (LSPs) including students, paralegals, and licensed lawyers.
Like a legal version of TaskRabbit, the DAABA app allows users to create a profile and post a brief summary of their questions or case while selecting which audience will see these cases, and where, along with their budget. The company’s supported geographic areas cover both Canada and the U.S.
“While legal websites where people ask questions is not something new and virtual law firms are not uncommon, DAABA’s uniqueness is that it’s not a website, it’s an app,” the company writes in its application. “It’s not a Law Firm, it’s an independent platform for all purposes, and.. it’s not restricted to lawyers… but rather a democratization of the entire industry where all LSPs can join.”
More importantly, they add, “the public is empowered to look for the best rate that best fit their budget.”
“Our aspiration is that no human will be left undefended and no LSP will be left unemployed.”