In America, a decades‑old misdemeanor or nonviolent felony can be the barrier between a job offer and a rejection, a rental approval and a closed door. Now, two Howard University graduates are using technology to change that.
Lawrence Blackmon, a Mississippi State Representative, and Roger Roman, a tech founder and investor, have launched LegalEase, a Black‑owned justice‑tech startup designed to make expungement simple, fast, and affordable. Their mission is ambitious: process one million expungements by 2030.
The app—powered by an AI guide named Wilma walks users through a conversational eligibility check and petition‑filing process that can be completed in about five minutes.
“Too many neighbors have waited years for a second chance,” Blackmon told BlackBusiness.com. “By letting folks call, click, or text their way to a clean slate, we’re proving that equal justice can scale—from Jackson today to every zip code in America tomorrow.”
LegalEase is already live statewide in Mississippi, with Illinois and the DC/Maryland corridor scheduled to launch this fall. The plan is to expand state‑by‑state until nationwide coverage is available within 18 months.
The platform’s features are designed to meet people where they are. Users can interact via phone, web chat, or SMS text, making it accessible to those without reliable internet.
Plans start at $150 for a DIY filing and go up to $500 for a full‑service concierge option that handles everything from paperwork to court follow‑up. The service also offers docket‑level tracking so petitioners know exactly where their case stands.
“Clearing a record should be as routine as paying a bill online,” Roman said. “Text Wilma, get your answer, file the paperwork, and move forward. When a five‑minute chat opens doors across the country, the system is finally working for everyone.”
Starting in September, LegalEase will host “Expungement Express” community clinics, offering in‑person help for those who need it most.
Both founders credit their HBCU education for shaping their vision. Blackmon earned his bachelor’s in Communications from Howard, a J.D. from Mississippi College, and an LLM from George Washington University. His father, Edward Blackmon, is also an HBCU grad from Tougaloo College and has been practicing law in Mississippi for over 40 years.
Roman, a two‑time tech founder and recipient of the Google Black Founders Fund, graduated from Howard with degrees in English and African American Studies. He also serves on the board of Starting With Today, a Black mental wellness nonprofit in the D.C. area.
With LegalEase, Blackmon and Roman are betting on technology and community to break down one of the most stubborn barriers to economic mobility in America.
