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TechCrunch
3 days ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Valla raises $2.7M to make legal recourse more accessible to employees
After a while, Danae Shell got tired of hearing the same story over and over again. 'Something bad would happen to someone at work, and the story always ended the same way,' she told TechCrunch. 'They just left, because doing anything else was incredibly complex and expensive.' One doesn't need to look far to notice that for many people, seeking legal recourse feels so daunting and complex that many just don't try to. Even for someone with a cushy tech job, the prospect of going against their company is daunting. That bothered Shell so much that in 2022, she launched Valla, which seeks to make legal support more accessible to workers. The company focuses on employment law, and since its launch, it says, more than 12,000 workers have successfully brought complaints against employers and negotiated settlements. 'The basic thesis of Valla was, 'If we can build tools that let someone file their tax return from their mobile phone, surely we can build something that can help them manage their own legal issue,'' Shell said. Valla platform enables users to collect their own evidence, generate documents, and then talk to legal experts who 'coach' them through what the legal process would be for each stage of their case. For example, Shell said, a user can keep track of an ongoing issue at work, draft a Tribunal claim, and then purchase a coaching package to prepare for the preliminary hearing. Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Like nearly every other startup these days, Valla also uses AI to streamline knowledge transfer. 'The GenAI engine in our platform acts as a legal secretary in the background,' Shell said. 'It does everything from briefing the coach on the case, taking notes and actions during any calls, and picking up all the admin and reminders as the case progresses.' Investors seem to like what they see at Valla: Today, the company said it had raised a £2 million (about $2.7 million) seed round led by Ada Ventures. Active Partners and Portfolio Ventures, as well as returning investors Techstart and Resolution Foundation, also invested. Shell said Valla started using generative AI in early 2023 and paired with the early traction her product received, that helped investors see the potential of her product. The company will use the fresh capital to boost marketing, build relationships with worker unions and insurers, and build more AI features within the platform. After employment law, Shell said the company hopes to expand into small claims and tenancy. 'Then we will broaden out to other geographies,' she said. 'We're already looking at opportunities in the U.S. and Europe.'
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Patricia A. Hennessy Recognized for Fifth Consecutive Year on the 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List
PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2025 / / -- Patricia A. Hennessy has been named for the fifth consecutive year to the 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list, a directory of leading attorneys who are evaluated on various measures of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process involves independent research, peer nominations, and evaluations, with only up to five percent of attorneys in each state earning a spot on the Super Lawyers list. Selections are made annually on a state-by-state basis. With over 20 years of experience advising educational institutions and corporate clients, Pat is a highly regarded education lawyer, recognized as one of the top experts in her field for her sharp intellect, strategic problem-solving skills, and ability to quickly get to the heart of complex legal issues. Pat specializes in guiding schools through all phases, from application drafting to daily operations, with expertise in areas such as school code compliance, special education, student discipline, and federal legal matters. A dedicated advocate for charter schools, she serves on the National Litigation Council for the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools and has been a long-time member of the Alliance of Public Charter School Attorneys. Additionally, Pat has contributed to private and boarding school communities as a board member of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools and as the outgoing Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee. On the state level, she plays an active role in shaping legislation related to the Pennsylvania School Code, education reform, school choice, and other critical issues affecting schools. About Barton Gilman Barton Gilman ( ) serves clients throughout the Northeast with offices in Boston, MA, Providence, RI, New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Milford, CT, and Fairfield, NJ offering legal services in over twenty-five service areas, including education law, employment, medical malpractice and aging services defense, professional liability defense, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, product liability and general liability, business and commercial litigation, as well as immigration, family law, trusts and estates, criminal defense, corporate formation, intellectual property and real estate. Committed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Barton Gilman achieved Midsize Mansfield Certification Plus status in 2023. The firm and its attorneys have received numerous awards and accolades, including Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Best Places to Work Rhode Island, Outstanding Philanthropic Business, Common Good Award, and Super Lawyers. Melissa Maichle Barton Gilman LLP +1 7815348620 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
