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ELA

ELA technology at a glance

How the product is built, what works today and what is left for launch.

October 2026
Emergency Legal Assistance
Confidential

The stack

Apps
React Native and Expo for iOS and Android; native Swift for the Apple Watch app
Backend
Node 22 and TypeScript API, a realtime (WebSocket) service and background workers
Database
PostgreSQL 17
Console
Admin console and firm portal in Next.js
Hosting
One Linode server in London for production, a separate staging server, Cloudflare DNS
Services
Apple (in-app purchase, push), Stripe, Twilio (SMS, WhatsApp), SendGrid (email), Transistorsoft (background location)
How a case flows: the member's app and watch talk to ELA's servers in London, which alert the law firm, the consulate and the trusted contact, while the operations console runs the case. MEMBER iPhone and Android React Native app Apple Watch native Swift ELA SERVERS, LONDON APINode 22, TypeScript RealtimeWebSocket Workersdispatch, alerts PostgreSQL 17 WHO GETS TOLD Law firmemail, SMS, case portal Consulateemail Trusted contactSMS, WhatsApp Memberpush, Live Activity Operations consoleNext.js, people on the case hold to arm, live location dispatch APPLE · STRIPE · TWILIO · SENDGRID · TRANSISTORSOFT · CLOUDFLARE
Dispatch runs on the server, so the response keeps going even if the member's phone is taken once the hold has committed.

What works today

Apps and watch On TestFlight

iOS works end to end: sign-up, payment, emergency button, live location, case handling and in-app chat. Android shares the code; the first build is in early testing. Wear OS is scoped for after launch.

Emergency button Proven on production

Hold to arm on the phone or the watch, then a 30-second countdown that sends automatically if the member goes silent, for example when the phone is taken. Live location streams as the phone moves, to save battery.

Alerts Built

Trusted contacts get SMS and WhatsApp, the consulate email, the firm email and SMS with the case link, the member push (live, with Live Activity). The rest switches on with the Twilio UAE sender and WhatsApp registration. No voice calls; English only at launch.

Partner portal Built

Firms receive a case brief by secure link with the client's ID documents, accept with a one-time code and work the case in a web portal. We launch with one contracted firm.

Subscriptions Built

Apple in-app purchase on iOS. Card payments through Stripe are built and tested on test keys. The insurance add-on is priced and modelled on the server but not yet sellable in the app.

Back office Built

Case console with live updates, live chat, verification review, the full member record, role-based access with MFA, and an audit ledger.

Insurer Manual today

The insurer, cover and policy numbers are recorded in the admin console. Policy issuance and claim notification are manual; an API integration follows once an insurer is contracted.

Security and hosting Built

TLS everywhere, a server-authoritative design, role-based access with MFA and an audit ledger, on one hardened server in London with a separate staging server. Backups are encrypted. UAE hosting was reviewed and set aside for launch.

Left for launch

Mostly commercial

  • Twilio sender and WhatsApp registration
  • Email provider and live Stripe
  • Location SDK licence
  • The firm contract
  • Real firm and consulate directories
  • A company Apple account

Then operations

  • Monitoring
  • Provider drills
  • App Store submission

Where a team adds most

  1. 24/7 cover. One engineer today, so monitoring, on-call and incident response come first.
  2. Android to launch quality. Google Play billing and a Play Store release.
  3. Security upkeep. Encryption at rest for documents, and an external pen test in due course.
  4. After launch. Corporate licences, insurer integration, Wear OS and more languages.