Administrators confirm no formal bids yet for LawBite’s ‘Ping Your Lawyer’ legal tech platform
An online legal services platform developed at a cost of several million pounds has failed to attract a buyer, nearly a year after being put up for sale by administrators.
LawBite, the trading name of Lawbit Ltd, was launched to provide small businesses with affordable, on-demand access to legal advice through its “Ping Your Lawyer” digital platform. The company once promoted itself as an effort to “democratise” legal services and make professional advice accessible to startups and entrepreneurs.
However, despite significant investment, the business collapsed under debts of £5.8million and entered administration in September 2024. Joint administrators William Antony Batty and Hugh Jesseman of Antony Batty & Company LLP were appointed on 24 September last year. Two months later, in December, creditors approved a proposal allowing them to continue running the company while attempting to sell its assets.
In their latest six-month progress report, published last Friday, the administrators confirmed that no formal bids have yet been made to purchase the company or its technology. “Several expressions of interest have been received by us or Axia [Valuation Services], but so far these have not progressed to the point of a formal offer,” Jesseman said.
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“Whilst many millions have been spent by the company developing the platform, its value will depend on the commercial benefit which potential purchasers envisage.”
The administrators appointed Axia Valuation Services to market the business and its assets, but progress has been slow. Axia has completed a valuation of the company’s assets, though the figure has not been disclosed publicly. The administrators said revealing the valuation at this stage could “influence bids from prospective purchasers”, and that full details would be published only after a sale is completed.
LawBite’s estimated statement of affairs shows 29 non-preferential unsecured creditors — excluding HMRC — with total liabilities of just over £2.38million. HMRC has filed a separate claim for £552,769.14. Since entering administration, five claims from unsecured creditors totalling £1,043,422.43 have been received, though the administrators said it is “unlikely” those creditors will recover any funds.
Jesseman also disclosed the existence of a disputed sum held in a third-party account under the company’s name. “The position is, however, disputed and the funds in question are being claimed by another party,” he said. “Our solicitors have undertaken a review of the matter and conducted initial correspondence at a contingent cost, to be reviewed in the event of successful recovery.”
He added that details of the amount involved could not yet be disclosed because the matter remained “sensitive in a legal context”.
LawBite’s collapse marks one of the most high-profile failures among UK legal technology ventures in recent years. Founded with the goal of disrupting traditional legal service delivery, the company promised businesses quick access to regulated lawyers through a web platform and mobile app. Marketing materials for “Ping Your Lawyer” claimed users could submit a query and receive tailored legal advice in minutes.
At its peak, LawBite promoted partnerships with law firms and corporate clients and was viewed as part of a new wave of technology-driven providers aiming to lower legal costs for small businesses. However, despite early optimism, the business struggled to achieve sustainable profitability in a crowded online legal services market.
The administrators’ report indicates that interest in the platform remains tentative, with prospective buyers likely to wait for clarification on valuation and ownership issues before committing to a formal offer.
For now, LawBite’s future remains uncertain. While its technology — developed at considerable expense — continues to be maintained by the administrators, the absence of a buyer underscores the challenges facing legal tech ventures that rely heavily on scale, investor confidence and market appetite.