TWO START-UPS SEEK DISRUPTION

THE WAY Kiwis are accessing and using lawyers is set to change, according to new Kiwi start-up Consensus. Fixed fees and a client-centric focus are now the name of the game it says, making using legal services less daunting.

Acuris Systems, a start-up focused on revolutionising the kiwifruit sector, is one business now benefiting from this shakeup of the legal industry, led by Consensus.

Acuris uses autonomous robotics technology to capture and process more data about a kiwifruit producer’s yield than traditional solutions can. It aims to drive a new style of data-driven decision making in orchard practices and management.

Consensus and Acuris both launched this year with the goal of achieving big disruption in their own industries.

Acuris Systems co-founder and director Nicholas Woon says, “Choice and a fixed fee just weren’t things I was expecting when we were looking for a lawyer. We needed someone who could get up to speed quickly on our job so that we could start piloting our tech to growers. We decided to post our job on Consensus and got two great proposals from lawyers in Auckland and Christchurch.

“We wouldn’t have found those lawyers and probably wouldn’t have been able to find a fixed fee arrangement without Consensus.”

Consensus CEO Anton Smith (pictured) says, “Consensus is bridging the gap between excellent, customer-focused lawyers and anyone who needs legal services. Nick and Acuris needed somewhere to start and we were thrilled Consensus could provide them with a way to find a lawyer to meet their needs at a fixed price.”