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Connecting those passionate about justice, innovation and law
Duke Law Tech Lab
From the Duke Law Tech Lab Community
A message for law students
Jim Wagner, Duke Law '93
Vice President of Agreement Cloud Strategy at DocuSign
Duke Law Tech Lab Advisory Board
On the adoption of legal tech among lawyers
Chris Martin
Lead Innovation Attorney at Latham & Watkins
Duke Law Tech Lab Advisory Board
On the openness of courts and lawyers to remote technologies due to COVID-19
Oliver Goodenough
SkoposLabs, 2017 Duke Law Tech Lab
On the lessons learned from the 2020 International Legal Tech Summit
Andrea Rojas Rozo
Fellow with the Duke Center on Law & Tech
Congratulations to our 2020 Cohort!
Our 2020 Duke Law Tech Lab program culminated in Demo Day on Friday, September 25, 2020
where we awarded the following prizes:
JusticeText
Grand Prize Winner & Audience Favorite
Athena
(formerly Don't Get Mad Get Paid)
Second Prize Winner
Our Program
We work with:
- Early-stage companies in the legal tech space with a mission to increase access to legal services.
- Founders looking for a light touch, remote accelerator. Successful teams usually have a MVP built by the time they enter the program.
- Newly incorporated (or soon to be) for-profits, non-profits, or social enterprises operating in the United States.
- Teams committed to giving 1 to 2 hours per week remotely throughout the program plus participation in Demo Day at the end of the program. The rest of the time we expect you to be doing what's most important -- working on your company!
Our 2020 program has ended - stay tuned for future application opportunities.- Early-stage companies in the legal tech space with a mission to increase access to legal services.
Timeline
1Application Deadline
Monday, June 1 at 5 pm Eastern
2Application Review
Early June 2020
3Interviews
Early to Mid June 2020
4Notification
Selected applicants notified in mid June
5Program
Starts Wednesday, June 17
6Virtual! Fall 2020
Applications closed June 1, 2020
Stay tuned for information about our 2020 cohort!
What We Do
We accelerate the next generation of startups that will change the way legal services are delivered
Build
We are building a community
We are looking for hard-working, creative entrepreneurs who are passionate about changing the way legal services are delivered within the justice system, law firms, and the government.
Connect
We connect you with valuable partners and mentors
Our program involves 1-hour weekly virtual conferences with leading legal technology entrepreneurs, innovative law firms, industry consultants, court administrators, CTOs, angel investors and VCs committed to investing in early-stage tech products. We bring in thought-leaders from the legal profession and coaching experts to hone your pitch and enrich your understanding of the legal services ecosystem.
Grow
We are here to support your growth
Our mission is to strategically tailor resources to help your startup thrive, from access to highly intelligent interns through Duke University and leaders in legal tech fields, to showcasing your product at the Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day.
By the Numbers
We've worked with 30 companies over 4 cohorts since the Duke Law Tech Lab started in fall 2016.
After the Duke Law Tech Lab, ten companies have been accepted into the
LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator.
We've distributed over $35,000 total in prize money to the top companies since 2017. We don't take equity in any of the companies in our program.
We've given away $11,500 in grant money to the companies with a mission to increase access to legal services in our 2019 & 2020 cohorts.
Our extensive network of Duke Law faculty, alumni, current law students, staff and other legal tech leaders review applications to the Duke Law Tech Lab.
We are grateful to the many legal tech leaders, entrepreneurs, practicing attorneys, marketing experts, pitch coaches, angel investors, and other experts who provide content for our program. In 2019 & 2020, over 50 individuals provided unique content to the companies in the cohort.
Why work with us?
We continue to evolve the Duke Law Tech Lab to help address the most pressing challenges facing early stage legal tech companies:
The vast majority of our Founders are lawyers or experienced as self-represented litigants - not serial entrepreneurs or MBAs - who have seen a gap or need in the legal profession and are developing a solution.
The market for legal tech products, both BTB and BTC, is unique and continually evolving as more individuals, governments, and companies embrace the use of technology in the legal and civic sectors.
While many startup founders in all industries feel it is a lonely road, legal tech entrepreneurs are in particular need of support from other legal tech leaders.
The DLTL provides a platform for our teams to engage with legal tech leaders, law firms, justice system stakeholders, student interns, angel investors, venture capitalists, innovators, influencers, and others from Duke University's extensive network.
What do we mean by increasing access to legal services?
We are seeking innovative companies who are working to expand market-based access to legal services for people in the middle - those who do not qualify for reduced fee or free legal services, nor those who are able to afford the traditional fee for services.
We hope to help create viable markets for legal tech tools that close the access gap for this key constituency.
Past companies include:
- Courtroom5
- Easy Expunctions
- Hello Divorce
Smart Lien
We also encourage companies to apply who are aiming to increase the efficiency or effectiveness of reduced fee legal services.
Who We Are
We're an entrepreneurial team with experience in startups, law firms, investing, and academia
Leadership
DLTL is coordinated by faculty, staff, and students at Duke Law under the Duke Center on Law and Technology,
led by Director Jeff Ward. We are supported by an advisory board (below) of legal tech leaders who help us strategize and provide feedback.
Judges
We recruit our application judges from Duke Law's network of legal tech leaders invested in supporting innovation in legal service delivery.
Presenters & Mentors
We connect our teams with experts, law firms, justice system stakeholders, student interns, angel investors, venture capitalists, innovators, pitch coaches, marketing experts, influencers, and others from Duke University's extensive network.
Founders
Duke Law Tech Lab was launched in 2017
by Duke Law students, alumni, and faculty, and led by the efforts of Duke Law alum Bill Warren, who now serves on our advisory board.Advisory Board
Chris Martin
Latham & Watkins
Elizabeth Stone Gerding
Skopos Labs
2017 Duke Law Tech Lab
Jim Wagner
DocuSign
Pete Sanborn
Travelers
FAQs
How many teams are chosen to join?
While there is no set number, the Duke Law Tech Lab is likely to accept about 5 teams in 2018. We work one-on-one with each team, so the exact number will be determined in light of our commitment to provide resources to each team.
Can international companies apply?
The Duke Law Tech Lab is open to international applicants, and they are encouraged to apply. Shaping the next generation of legal practice is a global endeavor! Please note, though, that all instruction and resources will be in English, and there may be reasonable limitations on reimbursing travels for participation in the on-campus Big Ideas Demo Day where travel costs are high. International participants will be responsible for securing their own travel visas, as needed.
Are there deliverables or milestone requirements?
The Duke Law Tech Lab is intentionally a “light-touch” pre-accelerator. As such, we do not ask anything burdensome of participating teams. We will, however, ask teams to work on tasks that bolster company growth. Because the Duke Law Tech Lab also aims at early-stage teams with highly individualized needs, these specific tasks are likely to depend on the particular needs of your company in light of advice from you team mentors.
The only common task for all teams is preparation for a company demo at the Big Ideas Demo Day.
What happens at Demo Day?
Demo Day will be on Friday, October 5, 2018 in Durham, NC.
Demo Day is an exciting opportunity to showcase your product in front of other #legaltech. It is a celebration event involving other entrepreneurs, technologists, lawyers of all stripes, big law firm management, investor networks, and many more.
The Duke Law Tech Lab will pay for hotel and air travel for at least one representative of your team to attend the Big Ideas Demo Day. We’ll coordinate travel information with you over the summer, but expect to spend one day and one or two nights here on campus. You’ll also be invited to various celebratory events and meals while on campus. It’s fun!
Does the DLTL require an equity stake in the companies who participate?
No. As a light-touch accelerator, we do not require any future equity in your company.
What have previous participants said about Duke Law Tech Lab?
"Skopos Labs was at a critical early stage of development and the content and delivery DLTL provided was on target and of immense value… All of us at Skopos Labs are grateful for the chance to work with DLTL and we'd recommend any legal tech startup apply!"
*****
"The Duke Law Tech Lab did more that just help our [vTestify's] business, it helped to develop and nurture our team. Meeting with industry leaders, discussing sales/marketing strategies, and building on our skill sets helped to enrich not only our company but also every member of our group. These are skills that will be invaluable long after the intensive work of nurturing a startup fades."
*****
"We took great pride in being selected as one of the participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab (‘DLTL’). Duke has an unbelievable reputation, and this experience was a jolt of energy and confidence that has helped us double down our efforts in making TrustBooks successful."
What is Demo Day?
1Pitches
Duke Law Tech Lab teams pitch their business to the audience and judges.
2Judging
The audience votes for their favorites, and judges give feedback and rankings.
3Networking
Audience members will be invited to connect with each other and the startups.
4Awards
Monetary prizes are given to the audience favorite and the judges' top ranked teams.
Thanks for attending our 2020 Demo Day!
At Demo Day, Duke Law Tech Lab's startups shared their business with the audience and judges. The audience voted for their favorite, and judges asked questions and awarded prize money to the first and second place.
Thank you for celebrating with us! We hope you enjoyed learning about the next generation of legal technologies.
Don't Get Mad Get Paid changed their name to Athena in October 2020 after the Duke Law Tech Lab program ended.
FAQs
When does the next application open?
Our 2020 program is complete, and we'll post information here when we're accepting applications for our next cohort.
Email us at info@dukelawtechlab.com or fill out the Contact Us form below to let us know you'd like to be notified about future program offerings. Follow the Duke Center on Law & Tech on Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest updates!
What is required on the application?
We don't want the application process to be burdensome, as we consider this program "light-touch." Generally, our application requires the following minimum information:
- Contact information for team members who plan to participate in the program, including a team leader and up to two additional team members. We also as for a brief bio of your team leader.
- Company basic description and information, including links to any social media accounts or websites, the amount of funding you have raised so far, and how your company is legally structured under state law in the United States, if applicable
- A slide deck or business plan which includes information about your product, market potential and traction, and team members. Usually 10-15 slides in a .ppt, .pdf, or .key file will suffice.
Are there deliverables or milestone requirements?
The Duke Law Tech Lab is intentionally a “light-touch” pre-accelerator. As such, we do not ask anything burdensome of participating teams. We will, however, ask teams to work on tasks that bolster company growth and prepare to present at Demo Day at the end of the program. Because the Duke Law Tech Lab also aims at early-stage teams with highly individualized needs, these specific tasks are likely to depend on the particular needs of your company in light of advice from your team mentors.
Does the DLTL require an equity stake in the companies who participate?
No. As a light-touch accelerator, we do not require any future equity in your company.
Do you accept companies outside the US?
In order to provide the best support to our participants possible, we only accept US-based companies for our Duke Law Tech Lab program.
If your company is based outside of the United States, we would still love to connect with you! We love finding opportunities to highlight international companies with our students and sponsors.
What is Demo Day?
Demo Day is an exciting opportunity to showcase new and innovative legal tech products in front of other #legaltech leaders. It is a celebration event involving other entrepreneurs, technologists, lawyers of all stripes, big law firm management, investor networks, and many more. Our 2020 event was virtual.
What is the Duke Law Tech Lab's impact?
By harnessing our entrepreneurial ecosystem in legal tech, we help founders learn from each other, legal tech leaders, subject-matter experts, and key industry players.
Past teams from our first two cohorts have seen success such as:
- increased users,
- acceptance into a residential accelerator,
- substantial start-up funding from third-party investors,
- the founding of advisory boards, and
- beta tests of their products in new markets.
What have previous participants said about Duke Law Tech Lab?
“Participating in Duke Law Tech Lab allowed me to connect with mentors, researchers, and fellow entrepreneurs who are similarly motivated to expand access to justice in light of the stark inequities in our civil and criminal legal system today." - Devshi Mehrotra of JusticeText (2020)
*****
"Every early-stage legaltech startup deserves a Duke Law Tech Lab experience. Our win is a result of everything the program poured into us." - Sonja Ebron of Courtroom5 (2019)
*****
"We are so grateful for the Duke Law Tech Lab for putting together an informative and engaging 13-week program that introduced us to industry leaders who have experience building successful legal tech companies." - Yousef Kassim of Easy Expunctions (2019)
*****
"Participating in the Duke Law Tech Lab was a boost for our new company, and it came at the perfect time. We learned a lot about how to grow and improve our services, and made many good connections. Above all though, the program provided us with invaluable validation and legitimacy. Thanks DTLT!" - Brandt McMillan of Smart Lien, LLC (2018)
*****
"Having the opportunity to meaningfully connect with likeminded individuals and teams doing innovative work in the legal space was one of my favorite aspects of the accelerator. The weekly informative but casual meetings kept me focused on business strategy, growth, marketing and overall presentation of myself and our company. ... What has surprised me the most is how willing the speakers and advisors are to connect and mentor. I expected maybe a 20-30 minute chat with key players in the industry and instead, I’ve been able to grow my advisory board and start executing on expansion plans." - Erin Levine, Hello Divorce (2018)
*****
"Skopos Labs was at a critical early stage of development and the content and delivery DLTL provided was on target and of immense value… All of us at Skopos Labs are grateful for the chance to work with DLTL and we'd recommend any legal tech startup apply!" (2017)
*****
"The Duke Law Tech Lab did more that just help our [vTestify's] business, it helped to develop and nurture our team. Meeting with industry leaders, discussing sales/marketing strategies, and building on our skill sets helped to enrich not only our company but also every member of our group. These are skills that will be invaluable long after the intensive work of nurturing a startup fades." (2017)
*****
"We took great pride in being selected as one of the participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab (‘DLTL’). Duke has an unbelievable reputation, and this experience was a jolt of energy and confidence that has helped us double down our efforts in making TrustBooks successful." (2017)
You should apply if...
Your product aims to impact legal or regulatory practice or law-adjacent civic services.
You have or will have a minimum viable product (MVP) by the middle of June 2020.
You have had a few users test out your product and provide positive feedback, and you are looking to expand your access to the market.
You have received little or no seed or series funding but have mainly relied on sweat equity, family/friends investments, and small grants or loans.
You are committed to building collaborative relationships and increasing your knowledge and skills.
You are currently spending a minimum of 10 hours/week on your company on average.
You are interested in earned media and publicity from the Duke Center on Law & Tech on Twitter, LinkedIn, and our websites.
You are ready to learn from legal tech leaders and are interested in connecting with program sponsors.
Meet the alumni
Click on each logo below to visit that company's website.
2019 Duke Law Tech Lab Participants with the Duke Center on Law & Tech
Register to attend
Registration for this event has closed. Additional registration is available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis and may be dependent on space. Contact Kelli Raker with questions.
Parking & Transportation
Please note that Morris Street is closed directly in front of 215 Morris Street, but the sidewalk into the building is accessible, as is the parking garage on the corner of Morgan Street and Morris Street. You may go past the "Road Closed to Thru Traffic" sign to turn right into the parking garage.
Parking is available nearby at the Durham Centre Garage (0.1 mile away), 300 W Morgan St, Durham, NC for $1.25 per hour. For more information on parking in garages in downtown Durham, please visit: http://www.parkdurham.org/Off-Street-Parking
Parking is also available nearby in metered spots for $1.50 per hour, enforced Monday-Friday from 8 am - 7 pm. After 7 pm, parking in metered spots is free. For more information on parking in metered spots in downtown Durham, please visit: http://www.parkdurham.org/On-Street-Metered-Parking.
Plan your trip via bus on the GoDurham website: https://godurhamtransit.org/trip-planner
From campus: Take the Duke Downtown shuttle to get to The Bullpen/Imperial Building
News & Updates
The latest news about the Duke Law Tech Lab
Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day grand prize goes to public defense video transcription service
Duke Law
September 29, 2020
JusticeText was awarded both the $5,000 grand prize and another $1,000 as audience favorite at Duke Law Tech Lab’s annual Demo Day pitch competition. Read more.
Duke Law Tech Lab nurtures four early-stage companies, each with a mission of improving access to justice
Duke Law
August 13, 2020
As the nation reckons with inequities in its social and justice systems, the Duke Center on Law & Technology is nurturing four young companies working to expand access to legal services. All are participants in the Duke Law Tech Lab, the center’s summer pre-accelerator program for early-stage legal tech companies. Read more.
4 startups selected for Duke Law Tech Lab’s pre accelerator program
WRAL Techwire
July 9, 2020
Four early-stage legal technology companies with a core mission of expanding access to legal services have been selected to participate in Duke Law Tech Lab‘s summer 2020 pre-accelerator program. Read more.
Legal Innovators: Duke Law Tech Lab
Attorney at Law Magazine
October 1, 2019
Durham-based start-up Courtroom5 won the $ 5,000 grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab’s third annual Demo Day on Sept. 20. It was the culmination of a three-month pre-accelerator program for promising early-stage legal technology companies. Read more.
Online platform for pro se litigants wins grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day
Duke Law
September 23, 2019
A Durham-based start-up offering tools and resources for pro se litigants took the grand prize at Duke Law Tech Lab’s third annual Demo Day, the culmination of a pre-accelerator program for promising early-stage legal technology companies. Read more.
5 startups to pitch their legal platforms at Duke Law Tech Lab demo day
WRAL Tech Wire
September 19, 2019
Duke University’s Law Tech Lab is graduating its latest class of startups this Friday at a demo day event. Read more.
LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator picks 2 Triangle firms
WRAL Tech Wire
September 11, 2019
Two emerging startups from the Triangle are among the nine firms selected for the fourth cohort of the LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator. Read more.
Duke Center on Law & Technology selects 12 early-stage companies for pre-accelerator program
Duke Law
June 25, 2019
Twelve early-stage legal technology companies, including five with a core mission of expanding access to legal services, are participating this summer in the Duke Center on Law & Technology’s online pre-accelerator program, Duke Law Tech Lab. Read more.
Duke Law Wants to Help Early-Stage Startups Weather Legal Tech Challenges
Legal Tech News powered by Law.com
June 21, 2019
The third-year pre-accelerator program not only helps budding companies through general startup challenges, but also through roadblocks specific to a legal industry sometimes resistant to change. Read more.
Duke Law ‘Pre-Accelerator’ Picks 12 Startups, Links to LexisNexis Accelerator
Artificial Lawyer
June 18, 2019
The Duke Law Tech Lab, run by Duke Law school, has launched its latest legal tech incubator with 12 companies. This is the third year the programme has run, which they describe as a ‘pre-accelerator’. The project will potentially then feed some of the top cohort members into the LexisNexis legal tech accelerator, also in the US. Read more.
Future Law School. What does it look like?
Forbes
February 12, 2019
Crises in the justice systems across the world leave a huge imprint on the legal education system, which already has enough internal and external problems. Even reputable universities in the world are now actively seeking innovative solutions and people who are able to provide them with a qualitative push in the direction of improving the efficiency of educational services. Read more.
Startup Competition Guide: Accelerators targeting legal tech companies
Vator
December 20, 2018
Accelerators targeting legal tech companies include Tech Lawyer Accelerator, Duke Law Tech Lab and LexisNexis Legal Tech Accelerator. Read more.
Follow Us
2020 Program Sponsors
Our program would not be possible without generous sponsorship.
- Contact UsDon't be afraid to reach out. You + us = awesome.
News Archive
Event Spotlight: Hello Divorce Wins at Duke Law Tech Lab
Attorney At Law Magazine, NC Triangle Edition, Vol. 6 No. 6
December 2018
Duke Law Tech Lab caps three days of legal technology events with Demo Day
Duke Law
October 23, 2018
A start-up offering a do-it-yourself divorce platform won the grand prize in Duke Law Tech Lab’s second annual Big Ideas Demo Day competition, capping three days of events devoted to showcasing emerging legal technologies and innovative companies and entrepreneurs leading them. Read more.
Evolve the Law Podcast: Jeff Ward
Evolve the Law Podcast
October 19, 2018
Jeff Ward is the Director of the Duke Center on Law & Technology, which coordinates Duke’s leadership at the intersection of law and technology with programs like the Duke Law Tech Lab, a pre-accelerator for legal technology companies, and the Access Tech Tools Initiative, employing human-centered design thinking and available technologies to create tools to enhance access to legal services.
Seal Software and the Duke Law AI Showdown – #TheRealThing
Artificial Lawyer
October 11, 2018
At the invitation of Duke Law professor, Jeff Ward, last week Steve Harber and I, along with our Seal Software colleagues, Scott Ripps and Ian Walker, had the pleasure of collaborating with the Duke Center on Law and Technology, and law school students from Duke, UNC and Wake Forest, to test just how effective real AI can be for the analysis of thousands of corporate contracts in just a few hours. Here’s what we did. Read more.
Why more law schools are prioritizing technology integration
EdTech Magazine
August 23, 2018
Universities are investing in video conferencing, artificial intelligence and more to ensure future lawyers remain competitive and prepared. Read more. Or, read it in French.
Duke Law Tech Lab teams will present innovative ideas at Oct. 5 Demo Day
Duke Law
August 22, 2018
Seven teams have been chosen to participate in the Duke Law Tech Lab, a 10-week accelerator program for legal and civic service start-ups. Read more.
Duke Law's lab could make Durham a legal tech hub
WRAL Tech Wire
April 14, 2017
While last week’s Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day was the first in the nascent Duke-based accelerator’s history, it signaled the start of an effort grand in both ambition and scope. Read more.
Duke Law's lab could make Durham a legal tech hub
WRAL Tech Wire
April 14, 2017
While last week’s Duke Law Tech Lab Demo Day was the first in the nascent Duke-based accelerator’s history, it signaled the start of an effort grand in both ambition and scope. Read more.
Demo Day 2018
Video
2018 Video by Growler Productions
2018 & 2019 Photos by Colin Huth
© 2020