Anushita S. P. Karunakaram, Co-Founder and CEO of Lawyer Desk, on How Technology is Enhancing Legal Services and Shaping the Future of Law

For World Entrepreneurs' Day, Ms. Anushita S. P. Karunakaram, Co-founder and CEO of Lawyer Desk, shares her journey from IT professional to tech entrepreneur. She saw a gap in accessible legal resources and used her IT expertise to create Lawyer Desk, a platform that combines technology with legal services. Her platform integrates AI to enhance legal services for lawyers, students, and the public. Karunakaram discusses how AI is reshaping the legal industry and shares her vision for the future of legal tech.

StartupTalky: What inspired you to start Lawyer Desk, and how did your IT background help shape this venture?

Ms. Karunakaram: I felt the need to develop Lawyer Desk after observing the difficulties in the legal search in India. My background in IT helped me to specify the technological approaches that may be used to optimize and effectively enhance the availability of legal assistance. Lawyer Desk’s mission is to combine legal skills with technology to increase access to law and law-related services for everyone.

StartupTalky: What’s the main goal of Lawyer Desk, and how do you see it changing the legal industry?

Ms. Karunakaram: The primary goal of Lawyer Desk is to ensure that legal information as well as services are reachable to everyone. It is our goal to assist the legal community to work smarter and increase productivity as well as assist students to receive complete educational resources and the public to access various legal information and resources. Having introduced technology in the domain of law, we assume that the service provision in this area will be more comprehensible, time-effective, and convenient.

StartupTalky: Can you tell us how Lawyer Desk’s AI-driven products are designed to help lawyers, law students, and the public?

Ms. Karunakaram: For the various users, Lawyer Desk has designed the following products that incorporate artificial intelligence. About Advocase: It assists lawyers by providing automated solutions for managing cases and conducting research. LawBook provides current educational content for law students and activity applications. The work of Prajalok is to break down legal advice for the non-lawyers so that it is easily understandable. We also supply casework support for companies, using artificial intelligence. These are products that employ artificial intelligence for the provision of correct and timely information that increases efficiency in matters of law.

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StartupTalky: What trends or changes do you foresee in the legal tech industry over the next few years?

Ms. Karunakaram: As for my forecast for the legal profession, I anticipate massive developments in AI and automation technologies. Such technologies will help to automate processes, such as case search, preparing and reconsidering contracts, and increasing performance. Blockchain is expected to be applied predominantly in safe contract management. People will continue to obtain legal services remotely, including using virtual courts in the form of ADR, which will help to liberalize legal services.

StartupTalky: Your app has seen impressive growth since its launch. What do you think has been key to this success?

Ms. Karunakaram: The approach that has made a difference for us has been to meet the perceived needs of the users. We strive to provide products that are of high quality and with intuitive interfaces. Most of our content comes from users’ feedback, and employees collaborating with legal and educational experts guarantee the relevance and reliability of the information. They have also helped in the right market segmentation by marketing to the right people who would be interested in the product.

StartupTalky: How did your time with Indian Railways prepare you for leading a tech startup like Lawyer Desk?

Ms. Karunakaram: Moreso the experience working with the Indian Railways in which I coordinated signalling and communications in IT and coordinating various teams, especially under pressure was useful. Leadership skills and the ability to manage a team were improved as the focus was on communication and the basic rules of team cooperation. Furthermore, it trained me on strategic planning in the right project management which I consider important in managing a tech startup. This also exposed me to the aspect of serving the public, something that Lawyer Desk will be offering.

StartupTalky: What was one big challenge you faced moving from engineering to entrepreneurship, and how did you overcome it?a

Ms. Karunakaram: Transitioning from a purely technical position to the world of business demanded transitioning from a problem-solving mindset. I conquered this by developing new skills, consulting and implementing expert advice, as well as assembling a workforce with various sets of skills to contribute to the company. In this process, it was important to embrace the cultures of lifelong learning.

StartupTalky: What tips do you have for women aiming for leadership roles in tech?

Ms. Karunakaram: For women aspiring to leadership roles in tech, it's important to believe in your abilities and tackle challenges head-on. Practice becoming better and constantly learn new things while taking calculated risks in a bid to challenge yourself more. Seeking support from mentors and peers is also a good practice since it can also give one confidence. Leadership is not all about power and authority; it’s about stability and planning; embrace these qualities and lead by example.

StartupTalky: How do you think AI will change the way people and machines work together in the legal field?

Ms. Karunakaram: AI will enhance the effective, tangible implementation of the law cutting out paperwork and allowing legal professionals to focus on complex issues. They help in decision-making processes and increase productivity but do not get rid of human knowledge. This is where we are going to see the incorporation of AI that will utilize the fundamental in laws necessary and enhance man skills.

StartupTalky: Looking back at your journey from techie to entrepreneur, what has been the most fulfilling part, and what’s next for you?

Ms. Karunakaram: The most rewarding aspect of my journey has been seeing how Lawyer Desk has positively impacted the legal community and the public. Our startup has made legal assistance more accessible and helped many professionals and students in their careers. Looking ahead, I am excited to expand our apps both in India and globally and to continue innovating within the legal tech space. The next steps would include integrating more advanced AI features and exploring new markets across the globe, keeping Lawyer Desk at the forefront of legal technology.

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