LegalZoom Review
LegalZoom is a legal services website which gives you access to a library of legal documents and lets you edit and personalize these based on your needs. The website helps you to create a variety of documents such as wills, company formations, trademark applications, copyright registrations and more without having to hire a lawyer or pay expensive legal fees. LegalZoom is ideal for people who are starting their own businesses, creating a will or trust or safeguarding intellectual property. The company started in the United States, but in 2012 expanded its services to the United Kingdom. To date, LegalZoom has helped more than 4 million customers.
LegalZoom Pros
LegalZoom is a cost-effective alternative to attorneys and is ideal for small business and personal users. The easy-to-navigate website gives you access to a great range of legal forms and templates which you can personalize. LegalZoom’s contract drafting service gives you very detailed instructions for completing the documentation and also provides a handy checklist so that you can make sure that you are creating the correct document for your needs. LegalZoom is available as a subscription-based service and non-members can also use the site on a pay-per-document basis.
LegalZoom Cons
Additional charges are applied if you wish to speak to an attorney. Customer service can be slow to respond to complaints and provide support.
LegalZoom Bottom Line
Legal Zoom can save you a ton of money on expensive legal fees. The company is a great choice for users who have little experience with legal matters. The website is simple to use and it’s easy to find the documentation that you are looking for. The two different provide sign up options for a monthly plan or simply pay for one or two documents. LegalZoom offers you the added advantage of access to attorneys in your state who can advise you on your particular issue so if it turns out that you need more support than you previously thought.
Using Online Legal Services vs. A Local Attorney’s Services
For the most part, online legal services are designed to provide basic help and things like access to documents that you’ll need for a transaction. LegalZoom goes one step further and allows you to contact an attorney for a 30-minute session.
This is a benefit for many people, but it is a separate plan. In general, using LegalZoom is cheaper, but getting the same attorney for long-term help isn’t always possible through the service.
Variety of Plans From Legal Zoom
LegalZoom offers a range of plans and products designed for certain individuals and business owners. Examples include:
- Estate planning
- Real estate
- Small business issues, including LLC
- Wills and trusts
- Patents and copyrights
Range Of Personal And Business Documents From LegalZoom
LegalZoom has hundreds of documents that are available to users of the service. Options include:
- Lease agreements, home sales, and promissory notes
- Prenuptial agreements and divorce
- Last will and testament
- Green card and work visa
- Personal injury/DUI
- Bankruptcy or power of attorney
These are just a few examples. With customized legal services, obtaining documents you need is simple through LegalZoom.
LegalZoom Ease Of Use
LegalZoom has a lot of information on their site, so it can be overwhelming to navigate. If you know what you need though – estate planning help, for example – finding the appropriate section is easy.
Getting attorney advice is also simple once you sign up for an appropriate plan.
LegalZoom Customer Support
Reviews of LegalZoom say that customer support is good and attorney response time is quick. Agents can be contacted throughout the day during business hours too so you can get feedback from a real person.
Online legal services are very popular, and for individuals or people with simple needs, they’re often quite beneficial. LegalZoom offers more depth than most, so it’s a viable option for small business owners and people with specialized concerns.
In the end, online legal services like LegalZoom may be able to save you money and give you the legal help you need.
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