Leading legal technology startup LawRato has launched WillStar, an application which is the first of its kind in India, that allows users to draft a legally valid will on their smartphones..Rohan Mahajan, co-founder of LawRato, told Bar & Bench that the application was not an attempt to monetise the technology, but a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to help people avoid expensive litigation, which often drags on for years at a time..Mahajan cited research by civil society think tank Daksh, which found that 53 per cent of civil suits and property disputes are fought between family members, to justify the need for such a tool..A will is legally binding even if it is drafted on a piece of paper, as long as it is signed by two witnesses. So how does WillStar propose to make things easier?.Mahajan explained that WillStar offers people a structure and ensures that users incorporate all the necessary legal checks to ensure that there is no scope for ambiguity..“For instance if you leave something to your minor children , you will receive a prompt saying, ‘Hey you might want to appoint a guardian’ “, said Mahajan..The product is also available in the form of a physical kit, for those who are uncomfortable sharing sensitive personal details on a web-based platform..Mahajan said that while it was still early days to gauge the response to the application, the reviews on online marketplaces were encouraging..LawRato is researching the viability of similar technology to simplify the drafting of documents, such as lease and rental agreements and affidavits.
Leading legal technology startup LawRato has launched WillStar, an application which is the first of its kind in India, that allows users to draft a legally valid will on their smartphones..Rohan Mahajan, co-founder of LawRato, told Bar & Bench that the application was not an attempt to monetise the technology, but a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to help people avoid expensive litigation, which often drags on for years at a time..Mahajan cited research by civil society think tank Daksh, which found that 53 per cent of civil suits and property disputes are fought between family members, to justify the need for such a tool..A will is legally binding even if it is drafted on a piece of paper, as long as it is signed by two witnesses. So how does WillStar propose to make things easier?.Mahajan explained that WillStar offers people a structure and ensures that users incorporate all the necessary legal checks to ensure that there is no scope for ambiguity..“For instance if you leave something to your minor children , you will receive a prompt saying, ‘Hey you might want to appoint a guardian’ “, said Mahajan..The product is also available in the form of a physical kit, for those who are uncomfortable sharing sensitive personal details on a web-based platform..Mahajan said that while it was still early days to gauge the response to the application, the reviews on online marketplaces were encouraging..LawRato is researching the viability of similar technology to simplify the drafting of documents, such as lease and rental agreements and affidavits.
