LawNeeds - the leading law-tech startup making legal support simple, affordable, accessible and personalised

Welcome to NEXUS Startup Diaries, the number one place to discover the hottest and most inspiring startups and founders.

Today we're excited to meet Steve Okolo of LawNeeds Ltd

So Steve, tell us more about LawNeeds

LawNeeds is a UK legal-tech startup making legal support simple, affordable, accessible and personalised.

Commencing with immigration law, our mobile app offers AI-powered legal guidance, multilingual support, and seamless connections to regulated lawyers for in-app consultations, thus helping students, young professionals, asylum seekers, refugees, and all other classes of migrants navigate complex legal issues with confidence.

How did you come up with the business idea and what problem are you looking to solve?

LawNeeds was born out of a deeply personal experience when a close friend was deported due to untrustworthy legal representation and system complexity.

That experience revealed how daunting and often times unfair the legal process can be for migrants navigating life in the UK. At LawNeeds, we are tackling these challenges head-on by addressing five core problems:

1) The decentralisation of legal services
2) Overwhelming system complexity
3) High costs
4) Untrustworthy representation
5) Language barriers

Our mission is to make legal support accessible, affordable, and reliable for everyone!

What made you want to start your own business?

I started LawNeeds because I saw first-hand how broken access to legal services can be, and I wanted to build something that truly helps and empowers migrants like myself.

While LawNeeds is my first full-scale startup, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. From leading projects in law firms as a legal assistant, to building creative ventures in music, I’ve gained hands-on experience in building teams, managing operations, and creating something from the ground up.

LawNeeds brings all of that together precisely my legal background, my passion for innovation, and my drive to solve real-world problems.

What stage is your business currently at?

LawNeeds is currently in its beta stage, with a growing number of testers and lawyers onboarded onto the platform.

We’re working closely with migrants (students, young professionals, asylum seekers and refugees) and community organisations such as The Salvation Army to refine the product and ensure it truly meets user needs.

As an entrepreneur, my top priorities right now are validating the immigration law vertical as our entry point into the legal market, gathering feedback from real users, and building strong relationships with trusted legal professionals.

Alongside this, I’m focused on raising our pre-seed funding round, strengthening our IP position, and preparing for wider rollout later this year.

What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?

What I love most about being an entrepreneur is the ability to turn an idea into something that makes a real and positive difference in people’s lives.

Every day brings new challenges, but also new opportunities to learn, grow, and create solutions that matter.

With LawNeeds, the most rewarding part is seeing how our work can remove barriers to justice and give people the confidence that legal help is within reach.

What is the number one business tip you've learned that you'd like to share with fellow budding entrepreneurs?

Learn to trust your instincts, but balance that with a willingness to listen. Your gut often points you in the right direction, especially when it comes to vision and big decisions.

At the same time, constructive criticism from mentors, customers, and your team is invaluable as it helps refine ideas, avoid blind spots, and ultimately build something stronger. The sweet spot is holding firm to your core instincts while still staying open enough to evolve.

Who are your Startup Heroes?

Steve Jobs and Elon Musk really stand out.

Is there a favourite podcast, book or series you'd like to share with the world?

Building a StoryBrand (Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen) by Donald Miller - This book was recommended by my mentor and has helped in shaping how I communicate my brands message greatly.

Where can people find you online?

Give me a shout on LinkedIn - Looking forward to connecting soon!

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