NC Traffic Law Blog

Last week, we made the news as one of two notable companies making waves in the "antiquated" traffic law industry! You can read more here to see how and why what we do is worth talking about. We also included part of the article in the direct quote below:

iTicket.law is a technology company built on top of a law firm. The website focuses on lessening pain points for clients with traffic tickets across the state. Daniel Hatley, the founder, had the idea for the company while in law school.

"I got a ticket in Harnett County and paid an attorney to handle it. I didn't hear anything for six months and then got a letter that the attorney had resolved it with his preferred method," Hatley said. "I hadn't been contacted throughout the entire process or consulted. It was a black box. I was happy to see it resolved in a good way, but I felt disconnected from the process."

After graduating from law school in 2008, Hatley started his law firm. In 2014, the ticketing experience was still on his mind, so he joined a cohort of entrepreneurs at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School to refine an idea related to it.

Just a few classes in, he was approached by the professor who said, "You've got a product, you've got a company, stop wasting your time here, and go out and do it."

While Hatley needed to remain focused on his firm, that nudge encouraged him to hire Tom Kuell, now CEO of iTicket.law, to bring the idea to life.

Today, Hatley and Kuell have taken the entire experience of dealing with a lawyer for a traffic ticket online. The iTicket.law website works as a portal where clients can hire an attorney and track the status of their ticket from submission to resolution. The service is available in 68 North Carolina counties.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we break into Virginia and start moving into that market as well," Hatley said.

Perhaps the most memorable aspect of their approach, however, is the emphasis on the customer.

"This is a stressful experience for people. Trying to hire an attorney puts a bad taste in your mouth," Kuell admitted. "So we thought, what if we could change the mindset and the experience for folks so that it's positive?"

It seems they've successfully accomplished that mission. With more than 3,000 unsolicited five star Google reviews across different locations throughout the state, the company's impact on North Carolina citizens has elicited thousands of paragraphs of positive feedback.

"Basically, we're a customer service company that happens to practice law. The focus on customer service is our secret sauce," Kuell said. "And the technology serves that goal."

iTicket.law employs people who are as young as sophomores in college and want real-world experience in a law firm. Some end up taking gap years between undergraduate and law school. iTicket.law currently has 11 full-time employees, five part-time employees and 18 attorneys on staff across the state.

"You're only as good as your people," Kuell said. "Being in Chapel Hill, specifically downtown, allows us to get incredibly talented people."

It's evident that Kuell and Hatley want to pay homage to the university and the town that's shaped their careers and family lives. Originally from Kannapolis, N.C., Hatley came to law school in Chapel Hill in 2005 and didn't want to leave.

"I just love it. It's a fantastic place. I wanted to start and raise a family here, which I've done," Hatley said. "But the real reason we stayed here is because of the availability of an intelligent and high-quality workforce at our fingertips."