Lawyers are expensive, but entrepreneurs need them because businesses simply can’t survive without legal help.
There’s a myriad of legal services available for entrepreneurs online, but which ones do entrepreneurs need? To learn more about the most common online legal services that entrepreneurs necessitate the most, keep on reading.
What are Online Legal Services?
Online legal services are enterprises that offer business owners legal advice and services for a lower price than hiring attorneys.
So, these services are powerful enough to put an end to the exhausting face-to-face legal meetings every time a problem in the company arises. What’s even more, they are faster and cheaper services than the regular ones.
Online Legal Services – Pros and Cons
Before you use online legal services for small business disputes, you must learn that each of these services is different. They all bring something highly beneficial with them, but they all have space to improve. Here are the pros and cons of the best online legal services for small businesses:
Pro: Save Money
Online legal services are a prudent alternative for entrepreneurs who strive to save money when it comes to legal fees. Even though these services aren’t a 100% replacement for law firms, they provide certain law services at more competitive prices.
Con: Less Attention
No matter how good they are, virtual legal services don’t provide you with hands-on instructions and attention that you usually receive from a regular law firm. In case you need to visit the court, for instance, hiring an attorney is a better option as it is more devoted to your needs. Con: Not Suitable for Each Company
Large companies need more extensive and specific legal advice and services, and big law firms are a better option for them. Smaller companies need less complicated procedures most of the time, and online legal services are ideal for them.
Online Legal Support Services
There are tons of online legal services available for small-sized or middle-sized businesses. What’s typical for each online legal service is that they all come with unique features, pricing, and structure.
Among the ocean of online legal support services, entrepreneurs should find the one that is licensed to provide legal support in your state. It is crucial to note this issue because business laws may vary significantly from one state to the other.
To make things easier, here are some of the best online legal support providers that business owners might benefit from utilizing:
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is among the most popular online legal services that small-sized and middle-sized businesses use.
- Option for six-month and twelve-month subscription
- Unlimited 30-minute consultations
Instead of obliging their members to pay a monthly fee to use their legal forms, this provider decided to go with a pay-as-you-go model, as well. Here, you pay a fee for LegalZoom to draft you a document, and the appropriate filing fees.
They offer an immense service library rich in all types of legal forms and covers most small business issues.
It attracts thousands of customers, mainly because instead of charging a conventional monthly fee, LegalZoom uses a modern pay-as-you-go model. It means that users pay a flat fee to create documents. Another super-impressive detail that’s LegalZoom’s trademark is that its matrix of legal forms is monumental and can cover most businesses’ legal issues. Individual legal documents, including trusts and wills, are also available.
In case you go with a 6-month or yearly subscription, you’ll receive an indefinite number of 30-minute attorney consultations within your state.
RocketLawyer
RocketLawyer is another excellent legal choice for entrepreneurs. Personal forms and legal attorney consultations are accessible on an as-desired basis, but they come with a monthly membership.
Becoming a member at RocketLawyer means getting access to an indefinite number of documents, as well as 30-minute legal consultations for different legal matters.
Initial documents and forms for starting a new business are included, too. So, company owners who need legal help can get professional advice and may even get a discount for using an attorney in their area.
- A wide array of documents
- Documents for first new business documents
Whether you are looking for top-quality online legal documents, you are trying to form an LLC, or just need an extra helping hand for your legal problem, Rocket Lawyer is your go-to company. Your monthly subscription will bring you access to unlimited documents and quick consultations related to different issues. In case you aren’t able to spot the ideal template or wish to add some personality to it, Rocket Lawyer provides a great document builder that will meet your needs.
LegalShield
LegalShield is a terrific alternative for people who want to grow their own business.
- Works with reputable law firms
- Ideal for small businesses
Established about half a century ago, this company ensures comprehensive legal services that cover all small business problems as well as individual ones. Available in the United States and Canada, LegalShield works together with plenty of reputable law firms. Members pay a regular monthly fee for the legal advice they get.
Entrepreneurs who pay basic monthly membership can make use of indefinite consultations on problems linked to their company. Clients will also get access to a certain amount of documentation, calls, and document reviews made on their behalf.
More expensive subscription membership plans cover trial defense legal services, as well.
UpCounsel
UpCounsel promises to match its clients with wisely vetted attorneys from the area.
- Top-tier attorneys
- Free legal forms
Available since 2012, UpCounsel has offered its services to lots of advice-seekers in the online market. This platform cooperates with top-ranked attorneys. Their primary focus is legal services for small-business owners and entrepreneurs. UpCounsel is a reputable and fast online service that has a vast matrix of free legal forms and documents and forms, alongside an archive of inclusive articles and handy educational resources.
It doesn’t matter whether an entrepreneur needs a particular form filed or legal advice obtained, they only need to complete a short form explaining their legal requirements.
As soon as they finish that procedure, entrepreneurs will get proposals from at least three attorneys on average, all qualified in that specific area of the law. Proposals come at an hourly rate or a flat fee, but that depends on the type of task.
UpCounsel provides a diversity of tools to elevate the relationship between customers and experienced online lawyers, and to ensure transparency and privacy.
Nolo
Nolo is a perfect option for DIY online legal documents. From launching an LLC to hiring an advisor, entrepreneurs can buy forms for almost any legal condition they can imagine.
- Extensive library of free educational resources
- Fee-free searches for attorneys
Nolo has been available for over 5 decades, which makes it one of the most respectable providers in the online legal services sphere. Members of this company can find legal guides and a vast online market for tons of educational resources. It includes a searchable network with several local attorneys and offers business formation services.
Nolo features a rich library of free-of-charge legal documents to help entrepreneurs research their current situation. The lawyer recommendation section on the official website will provide the clients with an endless list of highly experienced attorneys who can handle the problems at hand with ease.
However, clients don’t have an option to talk to an attorney at Nolo. Therefore, this online legal service isn’t an alternative to a relationship with a trustworthy attorney, but somewhat a sort of secondary resource, or a middleman, if you will.
LegalMatch
LegalMatch is similar to UpCounsel, as it matches entrepreneurs with professional and highly experienced attorneys in your area.
- A vast network of local attorneys
- Presenting your case is free
Designed to help business owners and individuals hunt for legal advice, LegalMatch offers help in finding attorneys in the preferred area. The platform has been offering its services for more than two decades and has served thousands of legal advice searchers to share their issues for free and discover matching attorneys who are experts in that specific practice area within 24 hours.
The biggest advantage of using LegalMatch is that users can pick an attorney’s preferred experience level. For basic legal matters, customers can choose a lawyer that has less than 5 years of experience and charges relatively lower rates.
In case entrepreneurs face a more complex legal situation, they can ask for an attorney with over 15 years of experience. However, more experienced attorneys come with higher rates.
The good thing about LegalMatch is that as soon as clients fill out their request form, they will get an instant cost estimation, as well as detailed bids from various attorneys.
By using LegalMatch, company owners can access an online library of legal articles to help them research their cases on their own.
Incfile
Incfile is the ideal choice for small-sized businesses looking to get their forms filled out and acquire other documents at a lower cost, compared to using an attorney in person.
This online legal service only targets small-sized businesses, and the available lawyers come with a minimum of 6 years of experience in the area of starting new businesses.
Entrepreneurs have the option to pay a flat fee for any of the services they use, such as submitting regular annual reports. Entrepreneurs appreciate such services as they don’t need to pay monthly fees or other closely-related expenses.
Incfile provides registered representative services for a flat yearly payment, and the first year of subscription is covered by your startup pricing package.
- Good for starting a new business
- Free resources
Incfile is an online service that provides a fast and confidential form of a nonprofit, LLC, S-Corporation, or C-Corporation. It offers tools for helping its members start and raise a business. Anytime you have legal issues, you will find the answers to your questions 24/7. This company cares for its customers and proves that by providing resources that are available for free.
Final Thoughts
Entrepreneurs need different types of legal help, and online legal services can provide just what entrepreneurs need.
No matter whether entrepreneurs want to start a new business or to consult with an attorney about some legal matters concerning their company, they can always rely on the not-so-expensive online legal services.
However, different, popular, or less popular online legal services, all provide different benefits, so business owners need to choose what suits their company’s legal needs best.
Paying special attention to the payment model they prefer, the size of their business, as well as the number of consultations they expect to have with an attorney, entrepreneurs can select the best option for them.
Each of the suggested online legal-service providers is equally good, but which one is the perfect match for you is up to you!
Author
Raymond Hickman is a distinguished lawyer, writer, and legal commentator with extensive experience in various areas of law. He is widely recognized for his exceptional legal knowledge, insightful analysis, and engaging writing style, which have earned him a reputation as a leading voice in the legal profession.With his exceptional legal expertise, insightful analysis, and engaging writing style, Mr. Hickman has earned a reputation as a leading authority in the legal profession. His contributions to the field of law have been recognized by his peers, clients, and the wider legal community, making him a valuable resource for anyone seeking legal advice or insight.