Do You Recommend Lawyers or Online Solutions For Legal Services?

After a vigil for the Orlando victims last night, a bunch of friends gathered for dinner. The conversation turned to major life events such as domestic partnership, marriage, wills, acquisitions, agreements, contracts, etc. Yeah, it got heavy.

I was asked for legal services recommendations and although I know some fine lawyers, the suggestions I immediately blurted out were services like LegalZoom, Avvo’s Legal Services and Legal Forms, and Rocket Lawyer’s Ask a Lawyer.

Why? Because of the scope and breadth these services offer, their affordability and fixed costs, accessibility, and the option to go from purchasing relevant documents and forms to engaging the services of an expert right on the website.

And what about the lawyers or firms I could have recommended? I didn’t know if they offered services for the unique situations my friends raised, or the cost of engaging them – whether flat fee or hourly rates, or if they were licensed in the jurisdiction for each of my friends’ concerns. Or, if the matters were big enough (read: lucrative) for consideration.

As more lawyers sign up with legal websites to offer commoditized services at fixed costs, will these sites be the new normal for recommending and accessing legal services?

Which do you recommend most when asked? Take our poll.