Rest The Case: Shreya Sharma’s Mission to Democratize Legal Access in India
In the high-pressure corridors of Cardiff University in the UK, law student Shreya Sharma noticed something profound: legal help was just a few clicks away. Whether it was finding a reliable solicitor or understanding a complex regulation, the digital infrastructure was robust and reliable. But when she looked back at India, she saw a "white space." In India, finding a lawyer still meant calling a friend of a friend or wandering into a local court—a process fraught with uncertainty and opacity. This stark contrast led Shreya, at just 21 years old, to found Rest The Case, a One-Stop solution for legal services and information.
Today, Rest The Case is a thriving legal aggregator platform that connects clients with verified lawyers across 200 cities in India. From family law to criminal matters, banking, and finance, Shreya is on a mission to simplify the law for every Indian citizen.
Rest The Case Platform Capabilities
- Verified Discovery: Access to a network of practicing lawyers in 200+ Indian cities.
- Specialization Filtering: Segregate lawyers by experience, area of law (Criminal, Family, Finance), and location.
- Simplified Knowledge: Expert blogs and guides that explain processes like "how to file an FIR" in plain English.
- Lawyer ERP: A dedicated backend system for legal professionals to manage cases and increase visibility.
Starting at 21: Breaking the "Young Girl" Stereotype
Launching a legal startup right out of college came with a unique set of hurdles. When Shreya first began meeting seasoned lawyers to onboard them, she was often met with skepticism. "They thought, 'Oh, she’s a young girl, is she actually serious about this?'" she recalls. But she let her actions speak louder than words. Once lawyers saw the well-thought-out infrastructure and the ERP system she had built, the traction began to snowball.
Coming from a business family, Shreya had always been inclined toward entrepreneurship. She spent her childhood watching her parents build their ventures, learning early on how to make plans and manage teams. This foundation gave her the grit to stick through the early "trust-building" phase of Rest The Case.
Trust Through Rigorous Verification
In the legal world, trust is the primary currency. Most people in India still rely on personal referrals because they fear incorrect information or unqualified representation. Rest The Case addresses this by acting as the ultimate "verification filter."
Building a Reliable Marketplace
- Lawyer Vetting: Every professional on the platform undergoes a thorough background check to ensure they are active practitioners.
- Information Encryption: All client-lawyer communications are encrypted to maintain the highest levels of privacy.
- Transparency: Clients can see exactly how many years of experience a lawyer has before making a connection.
- Content Authority: Producing reliable content during the pandemic to help people navigate contracts and employment issues.
The Subscription Model: Fruit for the Labor
Shreya is a firm believer in the ethics of the legal profession. Unlike many aggregators that take a "cut" of every transaction, Rest The Case does not touch the fees exchanged between a client and a lawyer. "If a lawyer has put in the work, they should bear the fruit for it," she asserts.
Instead, the platform operates on a Subscription Model. Lawyers pay a fee for listing and accessing the platform's ERP tools and visibility features. This ensures that the platform's interests are aligned with providing value to the legal community without creating a conflict of interest in the client-lawyer relationship.
— Shreya Sharma, Founder, Rest The Case
Building a Passionate Core Team
As a non-tech founder, Shreya knew that her greatest asset would be her people. She didn't just hire for skill sets; she hired for resonance. She wanted a core team that would "live and breathe Rest The Case." This approach allowed her to scale the platform while maintaining a lean, passionate workforce that feels just as excited about new features as she does.
Her advice to other entrepreneurs is simple: Believe in your product first. "Only if I believe that these lawyers are trustworthy can I tell my clients they are. The foundation of any business is that self-belief," she says.
Future Vision: Scaling Simplified Law
Having reached break-even within two years, Rest The Case is now looking toward the future. Shreya’s goal is to continue simplifying legal information so that filing an FIR or signing a contract is no longer a source of fear for the common man. By bridging the gap between ancient laws and modern technology, she is ensuring that justice and legal help are truly accessible to all.
Founder Tip: Let the Work Talk
"Actions speak louder than words. Once you have put your whole heart into getting your idea out, let the work talk. There’s no need to do anything else once your product starts solving the purpose it was built for."
About the Guest
Shreya Sharma is the Founder and CEO of Rest The Case. She holds an LLB (Hons) from Cardiff University, Wales, and completed a summer program in International Relations at Harvard University. A visionary in the Indian Legal Tech space, Shreya was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for her contributions to making legal services accessible and transparent through technology.