Comments on: LegalZoom.com sued in Missouri class action: maybe now we’ll find out what the practice of law really is http://styronblog.com/2010/02/21/legalzoom-com-sued-in-missouri-class-action-maybe-now-well-find-out-what-the-practice-of-law-really-is/ How people, businesses and nature compete Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:14:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Harry Styron http://styronblog.com/2010/02/21/legalzoom-com-sued-in-missouri-class-action-maybe-now-well-find-out-what-the-practice-of-law-really-is/#comment-1390 Wed, 12 May 2010 13:43:29 +0000 http://styronblog.com/?p=1468#comment-1390 I agree with your comment. The content of the forms that LegalZoom and Nolo offer are not essentially different that the forms that have been available in office supply stores and in books of DIY legal forms.

It makes sense to distinguish between forms that are not likely to have much effect on others (governing documents for LLCs or corporations with one owner) and documents that are likely to affect others, such as real estate and estate-planning documents.

]]> By: Edward Noyer http://styronblog.com/2010/02/21/legalzoom-com-sued-in-missouri-class-action-maybe-now-well-find-out-what-the-practice-of-law-really-is/#comment-1374 Fri, 07 May 2010 20:25:07 +0000 http://styronblog.com/?p=1468#comment-1374 Although I appreciate your position on this issue, the fact remains that what legal zoom is offering is no different than what NOLO Press has been offering for years. If someone does not want to pay for the advice of an attorney to consider the type of business organization that would best suit them, they are on their own. This is really no different than state office putting up the forms and letting the incorporator choose what document that they would like to file.

]]> By: Harry Styron http://styronblog.com/2010/02/21/legalzoom-com-sued-in-missouri-class-action-maybe-now-well-find-out-what-the-practice-of-law-really-is/#comment-1005 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:06:42 +0000 http://styronblog.com/?p=1468#comment-1005 Thanks for commenting, Chris.

Services such as LegalZoom remind me of discount auto paint jobs, where masking and surface prep are not priorities. The results are predictable.

]]> By: Chris Watkins http://styronblog.com/2010/02/21/legalzoom-com-sued-in-missouri-class-action-maybe-now-well-find-out-what-the-practice-of-law-really-is/#comment-1004 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:07:33 +0000 http://styronblog.com/?p=1468#comment-1004 Excellent discussion of the advantages of using an attorney over a DIY website. I read the petition in this lawsuit and am really looking forward to seeing how it turns out. What constitutes the practice of law has become so blurred.

In my opinion, what Legalzoom is doing constitutes the practice of law. Simply throwing up a disclaimer that it is a self-help service does not change that. If I’m wrong, then maybe those of us who are lawyers are wasting a lot of money on bar dues, malpractice premiums, and continuing education courses.

Nice blog, by the way!

Chris Watkins
Columbia, MO

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