LawLens: Pioneering Legal Tech in South Carolina

In October 2023, Ari Goodstein launched LawLens, the fastest legal search engine in South Carolina. Originally from Summerville, South Carolina, Goodstein hails from a family of lawyers but aimed to make a significant impact outside of traditional legal practice. Armed with a sociology degree from Brown University and an MBA in finance from the College of Charleston, Goodstein has seen diverse successes, including a notable appearance on Season 10 of the popular cooking show, "MasterChef."

From Culinary Arts to Tech Innovation

Following his time on "Master Chef," Goodstein pivoted his career toward technology and business. He served as a strategic alliances leader at several companies, including Crosschq, Traitify, and Canvas. This journey culminated in the launch of his own AI legal tech startup, LawLens (lawlens.com).

Identifying the Gap in Legal Tools

Goodstein recognized a critical need for a faster tool that provides easy access to statutes and penalties. He remembers a conversation with his mother, who wished for an app that would clarify charge codes in the legal field. "You could steal a pair of sunglasses, and it could be a slap on the wrist or 10 years of your life, depending on the penalty code," he explains. LawLens aims to empower legal, judicial, and law enforcement officials to make informed decisions quickly.

Developing LawLens

The platform was prototyped in October 2023 and officially launched in January 2025. LawLens streamlines access to criminal codes and rules of evidence, boasting over 22,000 legal lookups statewide since its launch, indicating strong adoption among various sectors. Initial challenges included turning legal language into usable data and overcoming skepticism around its efficacy. Goodstein stated, "It was skeptical galore, but it was good. We needed it."

Committing to Accuracy, Top-tier User Experience and Accessibility

A key principle for Goodstein and the LawLens team is maintaining universality while prioritizing accuracy over fleeting AI trends. "LawLens is not AI. It’s a large-language model created with safeguards and fixed in real time," he clarified. The focus is on authenticity and building robust products before prioritizing profit. To ensure data accuracy, LawLens collaborates with attorneys, solicitors, public defenders, and judges.

One of the standout features of LawLens is its simple, user-friendly interface, praised by users. Goodstein actively sought feedback from law enforcement, judges, attorneys, and legal professionals to tailor the app to their needs. Notably, LawLens is accessible to everyone — individuals can visit the website (lawlens.com) to download the app, explore resources, and learn more.

Plans for the Future

Although LawLens is founded in South Carolina, Goodstein envisions expanding to all 50 states. He aims to establish the platform as the standard in real-time criminal data research, particularly in partnership with organizations addressing domestic violence. Domestic violence, child abuse, and child endangerment represent the most frequently searched crimes within the platform.

Key facts about LawLens include:

• Over 347,000 pending criminal cases in South Carolina (according to data from the S.C. Judicial Branch), with quick access features to help courts move cases forward efficiently. LawLens’ quick-access features facilitate efficient case management.

• Dramatic reduction in lookup time. Tasks that once took 12 minutes now take 30 seconds or less, saving thousands of working hours and minimizing errors.

• Designed with local legal expertise, built with Silicon Valley-level capabilities

• Collaboration with retired judge Clifton Newman, known nationally for the Alex Murdaugh trial, who served as a strategic partner during LawLen’s development process.

Advice to Entrepreneurs

The advice he’d give to aspiring legal tech entrepreneurs is clear: “When you hit a roadblock and think it’s the end, it’s never the end. Believe in what you have, your team, vision and keep going strong.”