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Selling and Marketing Legal Services Online -
maintained by Delia Venables

Section 2 - Companies (i.e. not Solicitors) Selling Legal Services and Documents Directly from their Website although there are quite often solicitors associated with the companies.

Last updated February 16th.

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The Company Warehouse is one of the largest Company Formation Agents in the UK and an approved Companies House Filing Agent. We have a large selection of Ready Made Companies and Vintage Companies ready for transfer. Our company secretarial team offer a wide range of services including VAT Registration and Payroll Services.

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A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 

A

  • AvoidingDebt.com provides self-help guides to managing debt problems as downloadable e-books. There is also a professional letter service enabling someone in debt to secure lower monthly payments and reduced debt. The site was created in 2003 by Peter English, who is a law graduate and company secretary. The site also provides a lot of free information in the form of news, updates, advice and expert comment on debt management.

    B

  • Business 1 stop is a new subscription service (£29.95 a month) offering professional guidance, advice and support for the legal and financial management of a small or medium sized business. Content includes extensive business guides (an example of the employment guide is given on the site without charge), examples of letters and documents of use in various situations and document builders. The content of business 1 stop is supplied by a panel of Lawyers, Accountants, Trading Standards and Business Link Norfolk and Waveney and it is supported by the East of England Development Agency and the Eastern Region Business Links. Although the business is run as a company, it is owned by Steele & Co., Solicitors.

    C

  • Care Directions is a site offering information and services to the elderly and those needing care. There is a legal section and a register of solicitors on the site which can be joined for a fee.

  • changeyourname.uk.com is a service to enable people to change their name, which can be done in the UK relatively easily if the right forms and processes are used. The cost of the package to do this is £24.99. Their change of name deeds are accepted by all UK government departments and finance houses including the Passport Office. This is part of Online Legal Services Limited which also offer Divorce Online UK.

  • Clickdocs provides legal documents online. All the documents have been prepared by qualified solicitors, and encoded to enable easy customisation, to suit various requirements or options. The documents are also available to suit the law of England, Wales, and Scotland. Clickdocs is part of Expatindex Limited, based in Edinburgh, which is a specialist internet publishing company. The directors are Jon Aslin and Joanne Tucker. Documents are provided in Word with a "wizard" to help customise the documents offline. There are free samples available to see how it works. Topics covered include business forms, employment related forms, housing, incorporation, internet law forms and wills & probate.

  • Consensus Mediation is a company set up by solicitor Maggie Kennedy. She has designed a new service called CyberSolve which uses encrypted email between the parties and the mediator (essentially an online dispute resolution service) at costs considerably below normal levels.

  • compactlaw.co.uk (reviously Lawrights) provide documents on Housing, Immigration, Wills and Lottery and also various documents for business use. There are some free documents as well and a large amount of free information on many legal topics.

  • Computalaw is a company of intellectual property lawyers with 20 years experience advising and drafting contracts for clients world-wide. Now, Computalaw make their Computer Contracts, advice and expertise available on-line. The Computalaw Contracts have been drafted specifically for the IT Industry world-wide, for use in Electronic Commerce and are designed for use by both lawyers and IT professionals. Types of work include software licence distribution agreement (for software, hardware or systems) software development contracts, 'real-time' and historical data supply agreement, global network contract, escrow agreement, data licence agreement, and on-line subscriber agreement.

  • Contract Store offers commercial contracts for use by the business community, including terms and conditions of sale & purchase, joint venture and shareholder agreements and agency and distributor contracts. The contracts are drafted for use internationally as well as in the English domestic market. There is also a list of specialist construction and engineering contracts. The contracts are downloaded as Word documents and can then be amended, with or without a lawyer, as requred. The company is at present offering a free SME "Contract Health Check" over the Internet to help SMEs identify critical contractual shortcomings. By performing a simple tick-box exercise on the site, individuals can swiftly spot contractual areas that need addressing within their businesses. Once SMEs have identified their contractual gaps, they can go on to purchase the needed contracts online. The price of ContractStore documents varies from 15-50, as opposed to upwards of £1,000 when obtaining the same contract from a lawyer.

    D

  • Desktop Lawyer (Sales) Ltd sells documents direct to the public. The method involves generating documents using their Rapidocs software, which asks questions of the user and generates the document. There are 200 documents now available. For the personal user, topics cover: headings for the consumer, motoring, at work, crime, personal injury, family and divorce, wills and your estate, your home, changing your name, representing someone and pets. Under Business topics, there is: media & entertainment, starting a business, emplyment law, doing business, buying a business and corporate borrowing. The product "Law Assure" is also described: "unlimited access to all the documents within Desktop Lawyer, plus over 2000 pages of up to date legal information, a qualified lawyer on the end of a phone 365 days a year and a wide ranging legal expenses insurance policy".

  • Divorce Online UK is a site providing information and downloadable documents to assist "do it yourself" divorces. It is the oldest online divorce service in the UK and was founded in September 1999. This is a very heavily used site and it also includes lots of free information as well as the purchased materials. They are the only online legal services company to have been awarded the Quality Mark from the Legal Services Commission for the quality of the information and services. There are a series of DIY "packages" available from £25.99 through to £175 depending on the level of support required and there is also a fixed price service at £495 plus VAT where the whole divorce is managed by a solicitor. There is a £120 deposit for this service with the remainder billed at the end of the process. The company was founded by a family law solicitor, Mark Keenan and has now been extended to cover will preparation, willyouever.co.uk, name change, changeyourname.uk.com and obtaining official documents, officialrecords.co.uk.

  • DIY lawyer offers "legal document packages" which can be ordered online and are then sent to the purchaser by email. Each package contains the relevant documents and instructions of how to use them. There are documents for small businesses as well as ones for individuals with a legal problem. There are quite a wide variety of documents available for fees of 9.99 to 49.99. Users can also ask a legal question for 9.99 and get a response usually within 2 days.

  • Draft-Your-Will.com provides a will writing service which is specifically tailored to an individual's individual circumstances and needs. You can opt for a single will or mirror wills. Mirror wills are particularly relevant to married couples who wish to mirror or copy each other's will with relevant alterations being made. The wills are written by Miss Janine Byrne and detailed information is given on the site.

  • Duport Associates Ltd is primarily a company formation agent, registering standard and specialised UK LTD companies with additional services in the provision of UK company reports and UK and Global trademark registration. Many of these services can be delivered online together with step by step information and guidance for filling in the relevant forms online.

    E

  • Etrask is a "cross-border exchange for professional advisory services". Designed for small and medium-sized technology businesses, the site enables them to place a Request for Proposal" relating to Taxation, Legal work, Accountancy, Corporate Finance, Marketing/Public Relations, Executive Recruitment and Business Advice. Participating legal firms in the UK are Osborne Clarke, Brobeck Hale and Dorr, Stanbrook Technology Group and Macfarlanes. It is also possible for a company to ask any of these firms for free online advice.

  • Everyform used to be a free site to obtain forms online, which was taken over by LexisNexis Butterworths a while ago. However, this free service has now been terminated (as of 31st May). It says on the site "This is part of our wider plan to consolidate access points to our wide range of enhanced and improved online content, which will include Forms, culminating in the launch of our new global platform". Apparently the Forms Assured service, which was a paid-for version of Everyform, provided on CD with online updates, is still operating.

    F

  • Freelawyer provides a large amount of free information on the site as well as the ability to generate responses from a series of questions. In addition, it is possible to get an estimate of fees for further work and find a solicitor from a database on the site. This is a very popular site and is now possibly for sale.

    G

  • Global-Wills.com is a site which creates Irish wills online (other countries may follow). There is a useful FAQ section and information on Inheritance Tax in different countries. An associated site for UK wills is uk-wills.com.

    L

  • Law Express is a company set up to provide telephone legal advice. They employ fully qualified solicitors to provide the advice, mostly working from the Bristol headquarters. As well as providing legal advice directly to individuals (35 including VAT for a one-off call or 185 for a year's subscription), the company provides advice to individuals as an employee benefit to such organisations as Marks & Spencer, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Open Line (HSBC) and Somerfield. The services are also provided as a membership benefit to organisations including the Institute of Directors, St James Place Partnership, the 360 Group and the Institute of Healthcare Engineers and Estate managers.

  • LawAssure is a scheme coming from Epoch Software (the authors of Desktop lawyer) together with Royal & Sun Alliance. For 499 plus VAT, a business can obtain unlimited documents from Desktop Lawyer, unlimited telephone support from First Assist (owned by Royal & Sun Alliance) and legal expenses insurance. A similar scheme for individuals costs 199 plus VAT.

  • LawDepot is a Canadian company now expanding into the UK. They provide an online contract creation service. There are free contracts both in "fill-in-the blank" and interactive formats as well as paid-for contracts. Documents available include bill of sale and promissory notes for both personal and business use.

  • Lawpack Publishing Ltd. offers a wide range of self-help legal kits, forms, books and software. Launched in 1994 as the UK offshoot of an American publisher, the company was bought out by its management in 2000 and is now wholly UK owned. Lawpack is best known for its DIY Will Kit, which is on sale at W H Smith, Tesco, Rymans, Staples, and many high street bookshops. This is by far the most popular of the company's products, but the full range also includes forms, letters and guidance on residential letting, probate, powers of attorney, employment law, divorce, property purchase and sale, health and safety, benefit rights and many other topics. Lawpack's aim is to help people to help themselves when they can, but to recommend them to seek professional advice where necessary. They work in partnership with the legal profession - most of their titles are written and reviewed by lawyers, and some are bought by solicitors and barristers for their own use. Lawpack sells actively through the web and was recently commissioned by Tesco.com to launch the Tesco Legal Store (see below for more on this).

  • Lawrite HR provides employment law and HR solutions for employers in the UK. The Lawrite Employment Law software was first launched in 1999. The current version works through the web browser and seamlessly combines locally-stored document templates, PDF guides and manuals, with web-based news and update files. There are more than 120 templates including employment contracts, policies and procedures and sample letters to employees. The software is available as part of a range of services including 24/7 telephone legal support, an insurance-backed Employment Tribunal indemnity scheme and different levels of HR support including bespoke drafting of contracts, staff handbooks and other HR documents.

  • Leaders Deed Polls provide fast, professional and cost-effective Deed Poll services to help you change your name quickly and securely. Prices start at £12.99. There is information on the site about deep polls and what is involved.

  • LegalHelpers is an online document drafting service for some of the more routine and straightforward legal documents including wills, living wills, powers of attorney, letting agreements, notices to quit, and syndicate agreements. The user fills in a form online and receives the drafted document by post or email. The company is run by four young people including web designers and lawyers. The site is approved by Which Web Trader (the Code of Practice defined by Which for online trading).

  • Legalpulse is a site particularly designed for small businesses wishing to expand as well as private individuals. There is lots of free information on the site and also a series of documents which can be purchased, typically costing around £30 to £40. It is also possible to email your question to a solicitors for a fee or to speak on a premium rate phone line. CEO is lawyer and ex Camelot director Gill Switalski and associated firms (with an advert on the site) include Mishcon de Reya, Collyer-Bristow and Yuill & Kyle. Legalpulse is also linked with the National Solicitors Network which has around 600 firms around the country.

  • legalshop.co.uk is a company providing fixed price advice by email from a solicitor or barrister (typically between £35 and £75), fixed price legal services (e.g. consultation or court representation), online conveyancing and personal documents (wills, tenancy agreements etc).

    M

  • Marplus is an e-mail property law update service. It provides a monthly synopsis of all key case law, legislation and practice changes. The material is provided as a monthly email by John Martin and Peter Reekie, both solicitors and training consultants and the service is provided by Peter Reekie Associates Limited. The service, aimed at lawyers, costs £210 plus VAT and enable the subscriber to circulate widely within his/her organisation. The material is also archived on the site after a few months, and can be viewed free there.

    N

  • Net Lawman sell legal documents, agreements and advice for U.K & other jurisdictions in plain English and at a reasonable price. There are many types of business, company and partnership legal document available, including e-commerce and employment, as well as documents for private individuals such as those relating to divorce, wills and probate. There is also a large amount of free legal information on the site relating to all these topics.

    O

  • officialrecords is a site to enable you to acquire official certified copies of birth, marriage and death certificates as well as land registry searches, backruptcy searches, and decree absolute searches. Most documents cost £25 or £42 for the express service. The site is run by Mark Keenan and Divorce-Online Ltd, a popular site in the divorce area and is part of Online Legal Services Ltd.

  • OneClickHR plc is a major provider of HR services. There is a good news section with summaries of current employment-related news stories and a section covering legal employment topics in the Employer's Guide to HR; this is free upon registration. There is also a range of charged employment law related services including drafting tailored employment contracts, employee handbooks and compromise agreements, downloadable employment policies, and a legal advice line.

    Q

  • Quick Formations Ltd offer online company registration services using the Electronic Filing facilities at Companies House. They are apparently one of the UK's largest Online Company Registration Agents and they form just over 400 Limited Companies a month. Costs start at 34.99 for the standard service. The company can be set up exactly how the user wishes, from day one, without using any outside nominee appointments. The user can choose their own share capital, and holders, etc. The information is then automatically submitted to Companies House and the transaction is generally complete within half a working day. There is a useful set of questions and answers on the site about limited companies and the requirements for setting them up and then operating them.

  • quickedivorce provides a pack of information to download for £30 plus VAT or £35 plus VAT if it is posted. The quickedivorce pack includes all the forms needed and advice for filling them in, together with unlimited email advice. They have been providing divorce packages since 2000 and have been used by 7,000 customers. Phone advice from a solicitor is also available for an additional fee. This company has been bought by Online Legal Services Ltd (whose main service is divorce-online, as above).

    R

  • RIKY is an interesting new site for landlords which offers a great deal of free information and advice and then provides a membership at modest prices which enables members to access forms and documents and obtain tenant credit checks. Areas covered on the site include the ability to find out what letter, notice or form is required, issue rent arrears notices, compare Landlord's Insurance and issue a Section 21 Notice. There are also sections to explain property investing, Tenancy Agreements, Landlords Tax, Legislation (TDS, HMO, HSSRS and HB) and provision of a free Tenants Handbook and a free Buy to Let Finance Guide.

    S

  • scotwills is a company offering to create wills online for 35. The company is run by Bruce de Wert, senior partner of Scottish firm Georgesons. There is lots of free information as well as the actual will creation.

  • Simply-docs.co.uk helps small and medium enterprises (SME's) and owner managers put correct documentation and procedures in place, and then helps them keep pace with and comply with regulatory change at an affordable cost. The legal content of Simply-docs has been developed by leading commercial lawyers, HR and health & safety consultants. It represents the very best in terms of quality and depth of information. Each legal point is explained in clear concise and plain language. There are over 950 documents + updates and additions. The documents are arranged in groups - trading, corporate, employment and Health & Safety. Each group of forms, on a subscription basis for a year, costs £35 with access to all documents for £95.

  • StepByStepLaw.com is an online service to assist someone to conduct their own action to recover money through the Courts of England and Wales. It is designed for claims below 5000 where the winner cannot recover their legal costs from the other side so there is a particularly strong incentive to carry out the process as cheaply as possible. The fee for the process is 14.99 (with no commission) and multiple claims can also be handled. An initial Letter of Claim is provided free. The user answers questions online about the debtor, how much is owed and when the debt originated and a completed claim form is provided (in pdf format) with instructions on how to start proceedings at court, the court fee and where the documents should be sent. The procedure for entering judgment is explained and the legal forms provided. If the claim is defended, further steps needed to reach a small claims hearing are explained.

  • Sure Will is a will writing service. You answer a set of questions online (in a form) and you are given a personal will writer to help. Your will is generated and sent off to you with 15 days - often sooner. Typical costs are £49 for a single will and £69 for a married couple's "mirror wills".

    T

  • Tesco Legal Store provides low cost DIY publications including guides and DIY kits of various sorts, typically costing around 10 each. These can be purchased online and are then sent in the post. There is no attempt to provide legal advice online or link directly to lawyers; there are links to the Law Society's Directory of solicitors. There are separate sections, with Q and A for each and lists of appropriate books and DIY kits, for Accidents & Injury, Benefits & Claims, Business, Divorce & Separation, General Law & Advice, Landlord & Tenant, Living Together, Pensions, Personal Finance, Power of Attorney, Property Law, Scottish Law, Small Claims, Tax, Wills & Probate and Work & Careers. The site was developed for Tesco by independent legal publisher Lawpack Publishing Ltd - see above for their entry.

  • The Company Warehouse provide Limited Company Formation, VAT Registration, Domain Name Registration, Web and Print Design with Free Phone Advice and Support. Very competitive prices for all documents and services.

  • The Will Site is a company providing a will making service and also advice from a solicitor. The site was set up to raise funds for charity by providing the best Will making services on the Internet and encouraging users to leave legacies to charities. It brings together top charities, solicitors, and the most advanced technology to provide Internet users with top quality Will-making options. There is lots of useful information about wills on the site.

    U

  • UK Deed Poll is a site which tells you everything you need to know about changing your name by Deed Poll and which can also do the job for you if you wish. The company issues change of name deeds that are accepted by all organisations allowing individuals to get their documents issued in to their new name by government departments including the Passport Office. Orders for a name change can be made online by post or by phone. Information is also included in the service in the form of a Deed Poll pack aimed to guide individuals through the process of changing their name.

  • UK Corporator is an expert system for generating limited company formation documents online which can be used either by the person wanting to set up a limited company, or by a solicitor acting on his/her behalf. The system operates on a question and answer basis to obtain the information needed for the forms, providing full explanatory notes at each stage so that the user is in effect "coached" in the process of preparing the documents, and taking account of the relevant Companies Act provisions. There is also a considerable amount of free information available on the site relating to the incorporation process for people to use whether or not they are using the system on a paid basis. At the end of the generation process, the user can decide whether he or she wishes to go ahead with the formation and pay the 49.99 (plus Government charges payable direct to Companies House) required for the finished documents and delivering them automatically. All content has been written by the directors of the company who are also solicitors. The original system has already been widely used in Australia as Incorporator.com.au.

    W

  • Will to Live is a service which enables someone to write a will easily and at an affordable price, with free and unlimited consultation time for all prospective clients. Prices start at 35.

  • Will you Ever is a site which provides the user with a "pack" of information and forms for £12.99 which will write a will for them on their own computer and which can be updated later if they wish. Telephone advice is available for a fixed charge of £1.50 per minute. There is also a lot of useful free information on the site about wills. The site is run by Mark Keenan and Divorce-Online Ltd, a popular site in the divorce area and is part of Online Legal Services Ltd.

  • Workplacelaw Network is a commercial service offering advice and assistance for employers on employment law, health and safety, and premises management. Documents can be generated online and advice is provided online or by telephone. A free 14 day trial is available. I am not sure what firms are involved in the service.

    Note to companies who are selling legal services from their web site - let me know and I will add you to this list!
    email delia@venables.co.uk

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