A true Mate and absolutely legal

In Business: What is your field of specialty?

GAUTAMI GOVIND RAIKER: LawMate.in is a startup firm providing business legal services to entrepreneurs and start-ups in Goa. 

In Business: How does your company help Goans? 

GGR: LawMate provides business legal services to start-ups and entrepreneurs. We help in getting businesses registered, protecting brands through IP services, drafting various business agreements and most importantly, we get the business licenses from government departments. The clients have to just initiate the business idea, rest is done by us. 

In Business: Who are your major customers?

GGR:  The market segments of LawMate are the aspiring start-ups, early stage entrepreneurs having business in any of the sectors. 

In Business: What issues did you have to face when you thought of launching this company? Any help from government /CIBA?

GGR: In 2014 while I was working at CIBA, Verna as Project Coordinator, I always thought of finding out avenues in legal entrepreneurship, as I saw many aspiring people planning to do something of their own and start-up. I learnt that businesses too needs legal compliance from the point of starting and continues post incorporation too. I gathered information on legal assistance to entrepreneurs in Goa and found that there is very minimal assistance available. CIBA has been my platform to obtain all information I needed to create my business as it is today. 

In Business: What made you work as an entrepreneur when you could have easily started practice?

GGR: I did join practice after graduating in the year 2013. I worked at the chamber of Adv Prakash Prabhudesai who has been my mentor in the career of Law. After a period of 6 months, I found no interest in practicing law as what I studied as a law student was not actually that was happening in the court. I was open to any avenue that came to me and I was confident to learn something new. Thereafter, I joined CIBA as project coordinator. Advising start-ups, organizing entrepreneurship programmes during my tenure at CIBA gave me the real taste of entrepreneurship. 

In Business: How do you see the Goan market? Is there a demand for your product?

GGR:  Yes definitely. LawMate has been growing day by day. We look after each and every aspect of legal requirements for a business. We look forward to tie-up with government departments so as to reach more start-ups effectively. 

In Business: Where do you see yourself and your company in next five years?

GGR: As I said, LawMate is growing tremendously. I have initiated steps to collaborate with government departments which will push LawMate to the next level. I am also planning to set-up LawMate desks at every corner of Goa for providing better support. And this is planned through law internship programme. I also plan to expand my business to neighboring States in the year 2019. LawMate has no stop now. We have started with a vision to accomplish our goals and yes, we are confident of doing it.