UpCounsel
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Legal services, Online marketplace |
| Founded | August 2012 |
| Founder | Matt Faustman, Mason Blake |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | United States (originally California and New York) |
Key people | Xavier Helgesen (interim CEO), Sieva Kozinsky (CFO) |
| Products | Legal services platform |
| Owner | Enduring Ventures |
| Website | upcounsel |
UpCounsel operates as a digital platform connecting entrepreneurs and companies with legal professionals. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, it originally catered to clients in California and New York.
On February 3, 2020, UpCounsel revealed plans to cease operations by March 4 following a licensing agreement with LinkedIn. However, later that month, Enduring Ventures purchased the company, allowing it to maintain its services under new leadership and ownership.
History
Established in August 2012 by entrepreneurs Matt Faustman and Mason Blake, UpCounsel was created to provide startups and small businesses with easier access to legal counsel. Faustman, the former CEO, brought experience from Latham & Watkins, while Blake took on the role of CTO. The company is based in San Francisco and is an alumnus of the AngelPad accelerator program.
The company secured $1.5 million in seed capital led by Homebrew, along with contributions from angel investors such as Bobby Yazdani and SV Angel. In December 2014, UpCounsel raised an additional $2.4 million seed round spearheaded by Metamorphic Ventures and Crosslink Capital to extend its reach beyond California and New York. Initially concentrating on technology clients, UpCounsel expanded its focus to sectors including biotechnology, real estate, retail, food service, and entertainment.
In July 2015, UpCounsel completed a $10 million Series A funding round led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from Homebrew and Metamorphic Ventures. By mid-2015, the platform featured 10,000 carefully vetted attorneys and 300 active service providers. Despite this expansion, profitability had not yet been achieved.
In September 2016, the State Bar of California issued cautionary notices to attorneys using UpCounsel concerning potential "improper sharing of legal fees" due to the platform’s commission-based fee structure. In May 2018, Raj Abhyanker and his firm LegalForce RAPC Worldwide P.C. filed suit alleging that UpCounsel breached ethical standards and engaged in unfair competition through prohibited fee-sharing arrangements with lawyers. The lawsuit also accused UpCounsel of misleading advertising related to attorney ratings. UpCounsel refuted these claims, labeling the lawsuit as an effort to hinder competition.
By January 2019, most false advertising allegations were allowed to proceed while some unfair competition claims were dismissed. The case was resolved in March 2019 with Abhyanker receiving shares in UpCounsel as part of the settlement.
As of 2019, UpCounsel’s network included 25,000 registered lawyers supporting roughly 18,000 businesses. Attorneys billed hourly rates ranging from $70 to $250; clients used the platform without fees while UpCounsel generated revenue through commissions between 12% and 40%. Competitors include LawyerMatch, Lawtrades, Priori Legal, and Lawdingo; comparisons have also been drawn with Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom.
On February 3, 2020, co-founders Faustman and Blake informed users that the platform would shut down on March 4 following a licensing agreement transferring assets and user information to LinkedIn—an arrangement approved by nearly 88% of shareholders. Despite opposition from Abhyanker who attempted to acquire the assets but was denied access and whose restraining order was rejected by a court, Enduring Ventures acquired UpCounsel in mid-February. The new leadership team featured Enduring Ventures co-founders Xavier Helgesen as interim CEO and Sieva Kozinsky as chief financial officer—both bringing strategic expertise and familiarity with the platform through Kozinsky’s prior use. This acquisition facilitated continued development under a renewed corporate framework and strategic vision.
Services
UpCounsel functions as an online platform that links businesses with attorneys suited to their specific requirements and financial constraints. The system presents clients with proposals from three to four vetted lawyers, enabling them to choose the most appropriate legal professional. This approach allows companies to obtain legal assistance from independent practitioners without the need for long-term commitments to large law firms. UpCounsel manages the payment process and ensures secure interactions between clients and attorneys.
A significant portion of attorneys using UpCounsel have backgrounds in BigLaw and seek increased independence and improved work–life balance, including those who are cutting back on hours for personal reasons or moving away from conventional law firms. Every lawyer on the platform maintains malpractice insurance coverage. Additionally, UpCounsel includes a networking feature where lawyers can exchange advice and insights. The company’s business model aims to reduce client expenses while preserving fair compensation for attorneys by removing traditional law firm overhead and administrative costs.
The client base spans from startups requiring trademark services to mid-sized enterprises needing legal counsel on government or employment agreements. The platform also offers support for technology sector employees regarding stock option-related legal matters.
Originally focused on short-term legal projects for startups, UpCounsel broadened its offerings in 2014 by introducing an Outside General Counsel program. This initiative connects businesses with seasoned industry-specific attorneys for continuous legal assistance, while UpCounsel oversees billing processes and the sourcing of paralegal services, thereby improving efficiency for both clients and legal professionals.
Reception
In 2013, journalist Jeff John Roberts characterized UpCounsel as a service that resembled lower-quality legal offerings. By 2015, he acknowledged it in Fortune magazine as part of the gig economy’s evolution toward more specialized professional services. Patrick May of The Mercury News described UpCounsel as an "Uber copycat," referring to it as "a hybrid of Uber and eHarmony" that facilitates connections between lawyers and small businesses through an on-demand marketplace.