Manny Griffiths

Major props to Manny Griffiths. This guy’s the real deal in the legal tech world. He’s a W23 YC founder, which means he crushed it in the startup game just recently, but don’t let that fool you-his story’s way deeper.

So, Manny got his start in sales, doing the grind at Filevine. He was all over the place-Enterprise, Mid-Market, SMB-literally every angle you can imagine. That’s where he learned how law firms tick, what bugs them, and what makes them tick. And trust me, he’s a natural when it comes to building teams and leading. The dude’s got that fire for people, and you can tell he’s genuinely passionate about making things better.

But here’s the kicker-his motivation isn’t just about business. It’s personal. He was supporting his wife after a car accident, and he saw firsthand how shitty legal communication can be. That’s what pushed him to start Hona in 2021. He wanted to fix that mess-make law firms communicate better, faster, smarter. And he did. Hona’s all about automating updates and real-time chats for law firms, so clients aren’t left hanging and lawyers aren’t drowning in admin bullshit. It’s basically like giving law firms a turbo boost with AI and automation, but in a way that actually makes sense and makes people feel cared for.

Fast forward, Manny took this from a basement startup to a legit company with over 60 people, backed by serious VC-$9.5 million in Series A. That’s no joke. His vision is pretty clear-using tech to turn law firms into more like startups, more flexible, more human. He believes AI isn’t about replacing lawyers, it’s about empowering them to have real, personal connections with clients while ditching redundant tasks.

What’s cool about Manny? He’s not just a tech guy. He’s someone who saw a problem, felt it personally, and then jumped into fixing it with everything he’s got. He’s all about making legal services better, faster, more human. His process from sales to leading a VC-backed startup shows he’s got the hustle, the heart, and the vision to change the game. Honestly, he’s one of those founders you wanna watch-because he’s not just building a company, he’s reshaping how law works, for real.