I spotted on Twitter @APribetic, @carolynelefant, @btannebaum and others talking about a video posted by one Rachel Rogers (and available here) that encourages entrepreneurs who aren’t in a position to hire a lawyer to do their own contracts rather than use online templates.
I can’t work up much outrage over the video. Rachel’s advice was aimed at entrepreneurs engaged in “hard-core bootstrapping” and was hedged about with caveats, so shouting “Of course you need a lawyer!” seems beside the point.
And I share Rachel’s skepticism of random free online templates.
But obviously, the DIY approach is very risky. I steer clear of offering advice to anyone who doesn’t have a lawyer or isn’t in a position to look after themselves. That’s why Koncision’s terms of use say that it’s for sophisticated users.
I, too, share the skepticism of free templates. I also understand that there will always be some element that wants to do their own legal work; however, I don’t think that makes her video good advice.
There are many resources for people to turn to if they can’t afford “traditional” legal fees. In my practice, I’ve worked with many “bootstrappers” and have accepted trade of services from designers, done some deferred fee work that I’ll probably never get paid for because I believed in the business, and referred some others to clinics at local law schools. I mostly work on a flat-fee basis so business just getting started have some predictability in their legal costs.
I understand her underlying point–that if you are going to be foolish enough to try this at home, here are the major points you need to consider. But I don’t think that is responsible. Responsible advice would be to highlight some of the ways you can find low-cost or even free legal services from someone qualified to provide them.
You’ll get no argument from me. Saying that I can’t work up much outrage is different from saying that I endorse her approach.