I am running across more and more small business owners who have declared to me that practicing law is a matter of completing legal forms. Well, sort of.
What these small business owners are missing is multi-fold:
1) There are plenty of legal forms on the internet and elsewhere, but part of the issue is knowing which legal forms to complete.
2) The form you may think you need may not be the correct form at all.
3) The internet legal forms may not have been created for a small business such as yours, therefore may not protect your small business in the way you expect.
4) There may be more parts to what you need than just a form. For instance, forming an entity requires more than just filing your Articles of Organization, for an LLC, or Articles of Incorporation, for a Corporation, with the Secretary of State. Yes, the legal form Articles can be found and completed, but just because you do that you do not have a properly formed entity.
5) Some of practicing law requires the use of forms as a starting place, but it’s a starting place. The legal forms used need to be reviewed, additions made, edits completed, and deletions of the items that do not make sense for your business in order to create a document that accomplishes your goals.
I understand small business owners believe its logical to collect a legal form from the internet, but what they do not often understand is how to use those legal forms in a way that will best protect them. Therefore, it is always a good idea to consult a small business lawyer before using a legal form found on the internet. A good small business lawyer will offer advice and be able to help you avoid costly mistakes that can happen when the law comes into play.
If you find yourself looking on the internet for legal forms, Integrated General Counsel can help you determine your next steps. If you are ready for a results-driven plan of action, contact us either by telephone at (925) 399-1529, schedule yourself into our calendar for an appointment at a time convenient for you, or complete the Contact Kristen form and we will get back to you.
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