If you’re looking for compelling stories that combine entrepreneurial success with the challenges that come with diversity, there are few better than Founders Unfound’s story. The site tells the stories of founding startup entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds; it was started by Dan Kihanya, himself a serial entrepreneur. Currently, the site is focusing on companies and organizations founded by African Americans. Kihanya showcases each company and its founder in an hour-long podcast format.
This month, the spotlight shone on the amazing Dr. Sonja Ebron, founder of Courtroom5, an automated legal toolbox that helps people represent themselves in courts of law. Ebron is by no means a lawyer, though—the Durham native is a PhD electrical engineer with a background in utilities and artificial intelligence. Ebron and her co-founder, Debra Stone, began to work on Courtroom5 after years of being sued or having to sue others and not being able to find legal counsel.
While studying to be an engineer, Ebron learned that the secret to success is finding innovative ways to get things done. After spending time traveling the world and working in academia, she realized that wasn’t enough; Ebron searched for something that would allow her to make an impact. With her technical skills and Stone’s doctorate in information systems, they went into the IT business with a focus on litigation support.
Ebron gave two simple reasons why they chose Courtroom5 with civil litigation as their focus. First, many Americans can’t afford to have a lawyer. The national average cost of a lawyer in the United States is $225 an hour, while the average hourly wage of a US citizen is just below $30. Second, those who have to represent themselves in court because they can’t afford a lawyer often lose cases: The judicial process is tricky and complex, and the average person has no formal training in judicial proceedings.
This is where Courtroom5 steps in. Launched in 2017, the startup allows you to track progress throughout a case and provides you only the most relevant legal information, training, and tools needed to reach the next step. Users gain access to a library of document templates, searchable case law, analysis of claims and defenses—everything they need to navigate a system designed for lawyers. The service charges a fee, but it’s much less expensive than retaining a lawyer.
In February, Courtroom5 was selected as one of five companies to receive funding from global venture capitalist group ShEO.
