Ground Floor: Cedar Rapids service resolves legal disputes with less cost, time

CEDAR RAPIDS — Attorney Jill Handley arrived at her 'encore career' through the intersection of law and technology.

'One of my core values is adventure, and how I express adventure in the legal profession is through innovation,' she said. 'Innovation occurs at the intersection of two different disciplines.'

Handley began her legal career as a trial attorney and moved to academia, where she taught trial skills to law students. Most recently and for many years, she served in a senior leadership role for a corporate legal department that has been recognized as one of the most innovative law departments in the nation.

She retired in March and launched Rapid Rulings, a web-based alternative dispute resolution service, on June 15.

Handley began planning for her new career in April 2014, when she took a five-day sabbatical to think about what she wanted to do in the next chapter of her life.

'During that time, I asked myself what do I enjoy most about the practice of law, and the answer was reading and writing,' she said.

Handley attended a presentation by Richard Susskind, author of Tomorrow's Lawyers.

'He predicts the ways in which the legal profession will change in the future,' she said. 'After hearing him speak and reading his book, I was encouraged to think about the use of technology in my reading and writing.'

Handley considered the changing market for legal services.

'I read a lot of things about millennials,' she said. 'They will be making most of the business decisions going forward.'

Handley concluded that the future will bring a growing demand for online dispute resolution services as an alternative to courtroom trials. She formed a limited liability company and began working with a marketing consultant to flesh out her business model.

'What I'm trying to solve are the disappointments people have about the court system,' she said.

The Rapid Rulings dispute resolution process is conducted digitally. No court appearances — or attorneys — are required.

After both parties to a dispute agree to use the service, they must submit documentation to support their cases. Rapids Rulings reviews the parties' submissions and issues a written ruling in accordance with applicable law.

Handley said there are three major differences between Rapid Rulings and other forms of dispute resolution.

'First of all is the price,' she said. 'We charge by the page and you control how many pages you submit.'

A second difference is a public rating system, which Handley said provides ethical transparency.

'There are very few processes to rate judges or individuals who help people mediate or arbitrate,' she noted. 'When there is a grading system, it's usually completed by lawyers, but lawyers are not the ultimate users of the court system.'

The third differentiator is time. Rapid Rulings guarantees a decision within 60 days.

Handley acknowledged that being an innovator does have its challenges.

'I think the hardest part is explaining something that no one has ever heard of.'

To help bridge that gap, Handley is offering free educational programs on alternative dispute resolution.

At a glance

Owner: Jill Handley

Business: Rapid Rulings

Email: ceo@rapidrulings.com

Phone: (319) 573-6197

Website: www.rapidrulings.com

Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor'? Contact Michael Chevy Castranova at michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com