TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Feb 5, 2020

An online marketplace for lawyers will be shutting down permanently on March 4, Law Street reports. UpCounsel was founded in 2012 with the goal of providing affordable access to freelance attorneys and full-time legal staff. A recent lawsuit accused UpCounsel of disregarding ethics and competition laws and claimed the company breached California Bar Association rules that prevent lawyers from sharing legal fees with nonlawyers. The company denied the claim but settled the case. As part of the settlement, the plaintiff, LegalForce RAPC, became a significant shareholder in the company. Leadership said it hopes to “retool” the company and “bring it back in a form that will allow it to continue thriving.”