63%
of cases settle on Backchannel
Engage your opponent. Reveal nothing. Keep control. Settle on your terms.
See if the case can settle without showing your number.
Each side secretly submits a settlement number, which we call a Bid. Protected by bank-level security, each Bid stays sealed unless the numbers meet.
- Free account · free session · no subscription
- Bank-level encryption
- You stay in control
- Built by mediators
Why it works
A settlement process you can trust.
We get it. It can be hard to trust opposing counsel. If you tell them what you will really settle for, their reflex is to treat it as another move in the posturing game. Instead of rewarding your candor, they assume you have more room to negotiate. So you don't tell them your real number.
Backchannel works the opposite way. You tell your real number to the platform, not to opposing counsel. The only way the other side learns your number is if it matches or overlaps with theirs. That's when you have a deal.
3 days
average time to agreement
Watch
See Backchannel in action
How it works
Five steps. Numbers stay sealed until they align.
-
1
Engage your opponent
Invite the other side. Both of you agree to the session terms, which work like an agreement to mediate, so a deal reached here is binding.
-
2
Set terms or skip
Add an optional memo of terms that both sides approve, or skip it and go straight to bidding.
-
3
Submit a sealed Bid
Each side submits a sealed offer or demand, which we call a Bid. First Bids are due within 48 hours.
-
4
Check for a match
If the Bids match exactly, you have a deal at that number. If they overlap, the deal is set at a random number inside the overlap range, not at the midpoint.
-
5
No match? Keep adjusting
Keep adjusting your sealed Bid during 28 days of silent Live Bidding, or use your one Smart Proposal.
Outcomes
Match or miss, you're protected.
Match
Numbers align
You have a deal, and neither side had to show its number first.
- An exact match is a deal at that number.
- An overlap settles at a random number inside the range, not a midpoint.
- The deal is binding under the session terms.
Miss
No match
If there's no match, nothing about your number is revealed. You can keep adjusting your sealed Bid for 28 days.
- The other side never sees your Bid.
- Silent Live Bidding stays open for 28 days.
- Both sides can agree to receive one Smart Proposal.
Why is it free?
We're litigators and mediators. We have watched good cases stall because neither side wanted to show its number first, and we built Backchannel to fix that.
We don't want price to be one more reason a case doesn't get the chance to settle. That's why accounts and sessions are free, with no subscription fee. We may offer optional premium features in the future.
You stay in control
Nobody forces a midpoint on you. When Bids overlap, the deal is set at a random number inside the range, which keeps both sides' real numbers confidential. A Smart Proposal is not a midpoint either. It uses a proprietary calculation, and each side decides privately whether to accept it.
Guarantees
What Backchannel will not do
- Show your Bid
- Reveal your number when there's no match
- Split the difference
- Bind anyone to a number they did not submit
- Leave a public record
Free account. Free session. No subscription.
Ready when you are. Create an account, open a session, invite the other side, and see if the numbers meet. Nothing is billed.
Start a Free SessionWho it's for
Built for the people who settle cases.
Counsel
Plaintiff and defense counsel who need a sealed channel to test settlement without showing their number.
Defense & carriers
Insurers and defense teams who want confidentiality when exploring whether the numbers can meet.
Courts
Also businesses and individuals. A private way to see if settlement is already there.
When Bids miss
Smart Proposal
Like a mediator's proposal, built into the session.
If the sealed Bids do not match, both sides can agree to receive a Smart Proposal. When the Bids are close enough, Backchannel puts one settlement number on the table, the way a mediator would. Each side accepts or rejects that number in private. If either side rejects it, nobody learns who refused, and neither Bid is revealed. It is not a midpoint of the Bids, and there is only one Smart Proposal per session.
Parties are usually closer to a settlement than they realize. Backchannel allows them to block out the noise and focus on what really matters: the number that gets a deal done.
Your opponent's number may be closer than you think.
Find out.
Start a Free SessionFree account. Free session. No subscription.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Backchannel free?
Yes. Accounts are free, sessions are free from start to finish for both sides, and there is no subscription fee. Nothing is billed for starting a session, inviting the other side, or reaching a deal.
Why is Backchannel free?
We built Backchannel as litigators and mediators to help cases settle, and we don't want cost to stand in the way. Accounts and sessions are free, with no subscription fee. We may offer optional premium features in the future.
Does Backchannel sell my data?
No. We don't sell your information or your Bids. Bids stay sealed unless the numbers meet, and non-matching Bids are subject to automatic removal from the system. Backchannel is free because we want price out of the way, not because your data is the product.
What happens if the numbers overlap?
An exact match triggers a deal at that number. If the Bids overlap, the settlement is a random number inside the overlap range, not a midpoint. The random number protects each party's actual Bid. A midpoint would let both sides work out each other's numbers, while a random settlement inside the overlap keeps them confidential.
What if there is no match?
If there's no match, nothing about your number is revealed. You can keep adjusting your sealed Bid during 28 days of silent Live Bidding, and both sides can agree to receive one Smart Proposal per session.
What is a Smart Proposal?
A Smart Proposal works like a mediator's proposal. If both sides agree to receive one and the Bids are close enough, Backchannel suggests one settlement number. Each side accepts or rejects it in private. If either side rejects it, nobody learns who refused, and the Bids stay sealed. It is not a midpoint of the Bids, and there is only one per session.
Can we skip the memo of terms?
Yes. The memo of terms is optional, so you can skip it and go straight to confidential bidding.
Who built Backchannel?
Andrew Biller and Andrew Kimble, founders of Vault ADR, LLC in Cincinnati. Built by mediators.