Free Version of DirectLaw Now Available
As many of you know who have been following this blog, DirectLaw is a client portal that enables a law firm to offer online legal services. It is not designed as a cloud-based practice management system, such as timekeeping and billing which we view as "back-office" functions, although DirectLaw still incorporates many practice management features. The purpose of the client portal concept is to enable the law firm to work with a client online, rather than just by telephone and face-to-face, and in ways that are powerful than simply using email.
This week, we launched a Free Version of DirectLaw. We call it "free" because there is no monthly subscription charge, but there is a $99.00 set-up fee to cover our costs in activating a new account.
This is a fully operational platform that includes all of the virtual law platform features except web-enabled document automation and our state specific libraries of legal forms and documents.
Here is what you can do with the "DirectLaw Free Version":
- Legal Advice by Phone, E-mail and Web Cam. Sell any or all of these services on a flat fee basis. You set the pricing.
- Legal Document Review. Offer review services and provide advice for existing documents or forms. Example: "I purchased a will from LegalZoom.com, and need an attorney to review it." You quote a fee based on the complexity of work.
- Legal & Court Coaching. Another legal advice service you can offer on a flat fee basis.
- Online Collaboration Features. Share and store documents. Communicate with clients online. Secure, archived and accessible 24/7. Works great for existing/traditional clients, as well online clients.
- Calendaring. Publish important, upcoming dates/events. Includes an automatic reminder feature.
- Legal Resources. Publish client-relevant legal information/links. Information is accessible via the "client space".
- Attorney Dashboard. Manage all client-related data; communications; selection/pricing of legal services, etc.
- MyAccount. Stores client contact information. Information is downloadable to Excel spreadsheet format.
- Integrated Credit Card Processing. Accept online credit card payment for online legal services.
- Legal Invoicing. Bill clients via the "client space". Easy, convenient way to offer online credit card payment of legal invoices. Works great with existing/traditional clients and for online clients where work beyond the scope of limited services is necessary.
- Rapidocs Solo, our Rapidocs document authoring system, is also included, so you see if you can automate your own documents.
The DirectLaw Free Version is to be distinguished from the Free Trial, which is not a fully operational version and is simply a "sandbox" which lets you play around with the DirectLaw features. You can convert from the Free Trial to the DirectLaw Free Version at any time, and you can upgrade from the DirectLaw Free Version to Levels I, II, and III at any time. Click here to see the differences between the three levels of service and the different levels of pricing.
We decided to introduce the concept of a Free Version with the idea of accelerating the adoption of virtual law firm concepts by solos and small law firms. Our marketing data, based on analyzing Google Key Word popularity in this market space, such as "virtual law firm," "online legal services", and "virtual law firm," shows a relatively low hit rate compared to other trends in the law firm technology market space. We will provide more details of this analysis in a later post. What it says to me is that the number of lawyers, particularly solos and small law firm lawyers, who are simply just interested in learning more about the"virtual law firm" concept is a very low percentage of the total addressable market. This is typical of the way in which the legal profession adapts to new technology - - very slowly. Thus we think the concept of a "Free Version" of DirectLaw can be an important learning tool for lawyers who are interested in moving their law practices onto the Internet. By making this proposition a "no-cost" experiment, law firms can witness first hand how operating on the Internet can enhance their law practice and increase law firm productivity.
