Hire an Esquire
Connects law firms and in-house legal departments with a vetted network of attorneys via an online platform.
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| - | investor investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round |
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| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Hire an Esquire, founded in 2011 by Julia Claire Shapiro and later joined by Su-Lin Cheng, operates as an online marketplace connecting law firms and corporate legal departments with a network of vetted freelance attorneys and legal professionals. The platform was born from Shapiro's own experiences as a contract attorney, where she identified inefficiencies in the traditional legal staffing model. Her background in law, coupled with a desire to bring technological solutions to the legal field, directly shaped the company's mission to create a more flexible and efficient legal workforce.
The company's business model centers on providing a cloud-based platform where clients, primarily small to mid-sized law firms and in-house legal departments, can post projects and hire legal talent on-demand for temporary or project-based work. This addresses the fluctuating workforce demands inherent in the legal industry. Revenue is generated through a commission or service fee on the transactions facilitated through the marketplace. For the legal professionals on the platform, it offers access to a broader range of flexible work opportunities than traditional staffing agencies might provide.
The service streamlines the entire hiring process from sourcing to payment. It features a vetting system for its network of legal professionals, ensuring a certain standard of quality and experience. The platform includes tools for managing workflow, tracking hours, and handling payments, which simplifies the administrative burden for both the hiring entity and the freelance lawyer. A key milestone for the company was its acquisition by Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) in 2022, a prominent legal search firm. This strategic move integrated Hire an Esquire's technology and marketplace model into MLA's established global network, expanding its reach and capabilities within the alternative legal services provider (ALSP) market.
Keywords: legal staffing, online marketplace, freelance lawyers, legal tech, ALSP, contract attorneys, on-demand legal services, legal workforce, attorney network, legal recruitment