What Does a Georgia Virtual Law Practice Look Like?
by: Mark A. Cobb
Since this is one of the first articles on our newest blog about eLawyering in Georgia, we thought an explanation of eLawyering or a description of a Virtual Law Practice would be useful to our readers.
First, a Virtual Law Practice (“VLP”) is a new type of legal practice. There are, of course, brick-and-mortar firms, and the Cobb Law Group maintains its brick-and-mortal offices, but a VLP exists “in the Cloud” and gives consumers an alternative to the traditional law firm. Thus, for example, clients of the VLP do not schedule appointments and appear at the physical office; instead, they add information from their computers, laptops and notebooks anytime they want. This information is then securely transferred to the lawyer to complete the legal project and send back to the client.
For example, if you need a Georgia Advanced Directive for Health Care, there is only one valid form authorized by the Georgia legislature. You could (i) find an attorney, (ii) schedule and appointment, (iii) drive to the appointment and meet with an attorney, (iv) wait to review a draft of your documents, (v) schedule a follow-up appointment, (vi) drive to the attorney’s office for a second visit to sign the document, and (vii) expect to pay $100 to $200. Through our virtual law firm, you (i) purchase the SAME Georgia Advanced Directive for Health Care for $35.00 through our secure online service, (ii) at your convenience, complete a questionnaire, (iii) in 1 to 2 business days, our attorneys review and finalize your document and upload it onto your secure dashboard, and (iv) you print out your document and sign it at your convenience. The VLP is a lot easier, quicker and much more affordable!
Second, a VLP option is not for every scenario. A VLP is great for obtaining forms commonly used by Georgia attorneys, it is great for “normal” situations which do not require much customization. A VLP, however, is not for complex legal transactions or situations.
For example, if you were to start a home-business by yourself or with one partner, the VLP can provided you with an affordable, quick, workable Georgia incorporation package or LLC formation package. If you’re spinning off a sizeable portion of an existing, multi-million dollar corporation, then the VLP is not for you (and in that case, you could contact us, Cobb Law Group, for our traditional business services!)
Third, a VLP means “limited scope representation” or “a la carte legal services”. You, the client pick and choose the documents and services you require–and you pay only for those services usually at a deeply discounted rate. So, if you know that you need a simple Georgia Shareholder’s Agreement, then the VLP may meet your needs exactly. On the other hand, if you don’t know what documents you need or you have a difficult situation, then the Cobb Law Group’s traditional brick-and-mortar practice will meet your needs better than the VLP.
What are the advantages to the Cobb Law Group’s Virtual Law Office? There are many and they include:
- flat-fee legal services
- quick legal document turn-around
- you, the client, direct your legal plan/needs
- substantially lower legal costs
- the convenience of accessing legal services 24/7
- and many more!
Keep reading this blog and please pass along your comments as we share with you more about the exciting world and the benefits of using a Virtual Law Firm!
This is a general information article and should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion. The content above has been edited for conciseness and additional relevant points are omitted for space constraints. Readers are encouraged to seek counsel from a lawyer in their jurisdiction for advice on a particular circumstance.