Revolutionizing Legal Intake with Superpanel: An AI-Powered Approach
September 23, 2025
Julien Emery, CEO and co-founder of Superpanel, has long viewed the legal onboarding process as a deeply personal challenge. As a Canadian who experienced firsthand the difficulties in accessing legal assistance—costly, complex, and frustrating—he was inspired to create a solution that simplifies this crucial step.
Emery recalls his mother being involved in a car accident, with the subsequent legal payout providing vital support for his family for years. This emotional encounter with the legal system underscored for him the intense need for accessible legal aid. He observed that the traditional legal intake process—requiring clients to navigate endless forms, phone calls, and follow-ups—often discouraged many from seeking help, while law firms suffered from inefficient, error-prone systems.
Addressing the Legal Intake Bottleneck
Before recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, automating legal intake was deemed too complicated. However, with advancements in AI, Emery saw an opportunity. He previously worked at Hootsuite and founded Allay, a health insurance underwriting platform acquired by Novo Benefits. Alongside his AI-expert friend Dingyu Zhang, Emery launched Superpanel in 2024.
Superpanel automates about half of the legal intake process by managing data collection and client feedback. It acts as a digital teammate for plaintiff law firms, assisting with escalation procedures and compliance. The platform engages clients through multiple channels—phone, texting, email, forums—guiding them in sharing their stories and documents. For law firms, it helps sort cases by type, jurisdiction, and necessary documentation.
An Intelligent, Trustworthy Workflow
When ambiguity arises, Superpanel escalates issues to a human team, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Emery emphasizes that the platform provides a unified, multi-channel workflow that delivers measurable results and acts as a reliable digital employee.
Funding and Future Plans
Recently, Superpanel announced a seed funding round of $5.3 million, co-led by Outlander VC and Field Ventures. Emery noted that early investors from his previous startup facilitated connections with new backers, including LOI Venture (co-founded by Hootsuite’s founder), Zenda Capital, 8-Bit Capital, and Behind Genius Ventures.
The funding will accelerate hiring and expand features tailored for plaintiff law firms. While many players, such as Clio Grow, LegalClerk.ai, MyCase, and Whippy.ai, are also innovating in this space, Emery is confident that Superpanel will differentiate itself by meeting rising consumer expectations for instant, AI-driven solutions.
Superpanel’s Mission
“Our goal is to guide clients seamlessly through the legal journey,” Emery said, “delivering instant, self-serve answers shaped by AI and consistent online experiences.”
Event: Techcrunch San Francisco, October 27-29, 2025
Senior Reporter: Dominic-Madori Davis
Contact: dominic.davis@techcrunch.com | Signal: +1 646 831-7565