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Jon talks with Steven Lefkoff, Founder at Small Claims Academy. Small Claims Academy products provide individuals and businesses with various products and tools to master small claims court.

Lefkoff, a native and resident of Atlanta suburb Sandy Springs, graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in finance and from the University of Georgia School of Law. For other practices and his own \u2013 Lefkoff Law, LLC, which he founded in 2017 \u2013 Lefkoff has spent countless hours in small claims courtrooms. Early in his professional career, he watched a plaintiff who was not his client lose a breach of contract case she should have easily won because she didn\u2019t know the court rules, didn\u2019t have the right documents, and didn\u2019t follow the judge\u2019s orders.

\u201cToo many people show up to court without the ball, and they expect to win the game without the ball,\u201d Lefkoff said. \u201cGavel allows people to be prepared and ready for small claims courts. \u201cAll of this advice stems from me being in the courtroom. It takes that knowledge to understand the way the court system works. That\u2019s why it will give such benefit to users.\u201d Lefkoff had time to develop Gavel \u2013 and produce the dozens of tutorial videos \u2013 after Coronavirus shut down in-person court activity for months.
Lefkoff said other attorneys are especially excited about Gavel because it will allow them to easily answer questions for their current clients regarding small claims courts. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t take away any business from attorneys,\u201d Lefkoff said. \u201cNow when someone calls with these questions, they have a quick answer for them. They think it\u2019s a great idea for consumers, but also for attorneys.\u201d

Lefkoff is starting the platform in his home state of Georgia, which has 159 small claims courts \u2013 one for every county \u2013 and 333 magistrate judges. They oversee hundreds of thousands of cases each year, Lefkoff said. Lefkoff plans to expand to other states \u2013 possibly in the Southeast first, but to be determined overall \u2013 once Gavel gains traction in Georgia. The program\u2019s videos will have to be modified for each state during the expansion as each state has different laws and proceedings for small claims courts.

Lefkoff, 34, comes from an entrepreneurial family. His grandfathers were ENT doctors who started his own practice and home builder who launched a business. Lefkoff\u2019s father owns a bankruptcy attorney practice. Lefkoff\u2019s younger brother, Ryan created the graphics for Gavel through his digital company, Radical Design. One of Lefkoff\u2019s uncles owns a landscaping business, while another is a plastic surgeon who runs a practice. An aunt-owned veterinary practice. Lefkoff\u2019s 7-year-old son just started a business that makes lanyards for people\u2019s masks. \u201cI\u2019ve always been surrounded by entrepreneurs,\u201d Lefkoff said.

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Connect with Steven Lefkoff:

Website:\xa0https://smallclaimsacademy.com/