It seems that more and more websites are touting the ease and cost savings of DIY legal resources. Proclamations of setting up your own business without the legal feels fill the internet. Avoiding the need to retain an attorney and do things on your own are pushed toward the masses. This is an important reminder to tread with caution when approaching websites that offer an easier, cheaper way to set up your business on your own. Trying to avoid the perceived complication of retaining an attorney can create a host of other complications that can jeopardize your business right from the beginning.
The Dangers of DIY Legal Resources
Are you looking to start a business? It can be an exciting endeavor and you may be anxious to get the process started. Many DIY legal resources proclaim that they can help you set up your business in no time at all and for free! First of all, setting up a business is, by its very nature a complex undertaking and having it take “no time at all” should be a red flag. It should take some time to set up a business correctly. Secondly, rarely are these DIY legal resources free. There are hidden fees, expensive add ons, and much more that can set you back financially without providing you with much assistance.
You should also be concerned about DIY business formation websites because they almost always offer one path to establish a business. Businesses and their needs, however, can vary so much that a one size fits all approach does not really make sense and can easily push a business to be established in a way that its needs are not adequately met. The DIY legal services, as a model, are not equipped to cater to the specific needs of a business. Important provisions end up being skipped over as a result of using cookie-cutter templates. The one size fits all approach becomes so limiting that it does not end up fitting the needs of any business.
During the establishment and development of your business, you are likely to need a wide variety of contracts drafted. Contracts form the cornerstone of things like effective business management and growth. While recognizing the need for contracts can be an important step towards protecting and growing your business, looking to cut corners and costs by using DIY legal resources with form contracts available at an allegedly low cost can put your business in danger and create more problems than it may at first appear to solve. These contracts are, first and foremost, generic. They are filled with overgeneralizations in an attempt to serve a wide range of businesses. To be most effective, however, contracts often require specific language tailored to meet the unique needs of the parties involved. DIY legal websites offer overly broad and vague contracts that fail to accomplish what they are intended to accomplish and fail to protect what they are intended to protect. Your DIY contract could even be rendered unenforceable.
Business Law Attorney
Hiring a business lawyer can end up saving you more time, money, and stress than you think you might save by using a DIY legal website. At The Kumar Law Firm, we assist businesses in setting up for success and longevity. We tailor our services to meet the unique needs of our clients. Contact us today.