Ideas worth spreading

An app that empowers people to solve their legal problems

1,592,397 views |

Rohan Pavuluri |

TED Fellows: Shape Your Future

• May 2021

If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you, right? Not in US civil court. From high legal fees to confusing paperwork and expensive lawyers, it can be difficult to settle civil matters. Entrepreneur and TED Fellow Rohan Pavuluri is working to streamline cumbersome legal processes with an app that empowers people to solve their own legal problems.

If you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you, right? Not in US civil court. From high legal fees to confusing paperwork and expensive lawyers, it can be difficult to settle civil matters. Entrepreneur and TED Fellow Rohan Pavuluri is working to streamline cumbersome legal processes with an app that empowers people to solve their own legal problems.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Donate to Upsolve to help relieve one billion dollars in debt for low-income families in need.

About the speaker

Rohan Pavuluri

Civil rights entrepreneur

See speaker profile

Rohan Pavuluri helps American families navigate an increasingly complex and expensive legal system.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2020 | Explore

Civil Justice for All

This landmark report sheds light on one of the most dramatic, underreported civil rights injustices in the United States. Millions of low-income families cannot access their basic civil legal rights due to today's legal complexity and lack of alternatives to expensive legal fees.

D. James Greiner, Dalié Jiménez and Lois R. Lupica | Indian Law Journal, 2017 | Article

"Self-Help, Reimagined"

Law Professors Jim Greiner, Dalié Jiménez and Lois Lupica share their findings on what makes legal self-help effective. This study inspired me to create Upsolve.

Vivek Maru | Democracy, 2020 | Article

"Give the People the Law"

Vivek Maru explains why the current legal licensing system in the United States undermines our democracy, promotes inequity and guarantees that we'll never have equal justice under the law.

Rohan Pavuluri | Law 360, 2020 | Article

"'Unauthorized Practice Of Law' Rules Promote Racial Injustice"

In our current national discussion around racial justice, we must understand how our current system restricts the supply of legal assistance available and guarantees that Black and brown communities will not have access to the same rights as everyone else.

Rebecca L. Sandefur | Stanford Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, 2020 | Article

"Legal Advice from Nonlawyers: Consumer Demand, Provider Quality, and Public Harms"

MacArthur Genius Award Winner Rebecca L. Sandafeur explains the dramatic unmet need for legal assistance in America and provides a roadmap for reforming a broken system.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Donate to Upsolve to help relieve one billion dollars in debt for low-income families in need.