Richard Susskind – the man who influenced me to build and develop Dynamic Lawyers into what it is today – wrote a part in his book (“The End of Lawyers?”) that I want to discuss here for a moment.  That book is almost like a blueprint for me.  Heck, I even take that book when I go to media interviews.

There’s a part in that book that talks about online legal guidance.  He defines this as a disruptive technology that creates a paradigm shift.  Now you’re probably thinking: “What’s a disruptive technology and what’s a paradigm shift?”  Let me explain…  A disruptive technology, as Richard states in his book, is a technology that will disrupt the law firm (not the client).  This technology is new, innovative, and periodically emerge and fundamentally transform companies, industries, and markets.  A paradigm shift is a fundamental shift, transformation, evolution, etc. in the way something is done.  So with those definitions in mind…   Let’s get to the paradigm shift…

Before you would have to have face-to-face consultation with a lawyer (typically at their hourly rate).  So lawyers would have a monopoly over their knowledge and services.  Now, however, online legal guidance can be provided in a way that gives multiple people simultaneous access to a lawyer at a fraction of the cost.  Richard mentions a few examples, such as Linklaters, Clifford Chance, and American pioneer of online legal self-help, Rirchard Granat.

So onto my point…Dynamic Lawyers is offering legal guidance in various ways to compliment traditional legal services for those people who cannot otherwise afford a lawyer.  First, there’s the Craigslist.org-like make a post, get free quotes form local lawyers.  Lawyers compete so you win.  That’s a disruptive technology.  It sure beats having to go through the yellow pages or having to explain yourself on the phone to a lot of different lawyers. Next, there’s the free legal info that’s being provided through the DL Blog, the Legal Areas, the Stats and Reports, and through our affiliations with other websites (e.g. Legalline.ca, AdviceScene.com, IsThatLegal.ca, LegalTree.ca, etc.).  So prospective and actual users of legal services are becoming better educated.  Next, there’s the FREE Legal Health Checkup, an innovative way to check your legal health (and hopefully avoid nasty surprises later on).  Finally, our new Legal Forms + Video Guides project offers customizable and lawyer-prepared legal forms with a ton of guidance!

So there you have it!  We’ve got lots of more ideas, but we’ll focus for the time being on making the ones above even better!

DynamicLawyers truly is a disruptive technology that’s taking advantage of the paradigm shift we’re currently experiencing in the legal industry.

written by admin \\ tags: disruptive technology, dl, fundamental shift, lawyer, lawyers, media interviews, paradigm shift, Richard Susskind

Here comes Legal Form + Video Guide #5:

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (Mutual)

This Agreement can be used to restrict both parties’ use and disclosure of confidential information that is being provided to it.  If only ONE party is sharing confidential information and want to restrict the other’s use and disclosure of that information, then you can purchase a ONE-SIDED Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement.   Here’s the sample Video Guide that comes with this Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (Mutual):

Remember: if you need an Ontario lawyer, go to Dynamic Lawyers and make a post.

written by admin \\ tags: confidentiality and non disclosure agreement mutual, download legal form, lawyer prepared, legal forms, video guides

Here comes Legal Form + Video Guide #4:

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (One-Sided)

This Agreement can be used to restrict ONE party’s use and disclosure of confidential information that is being provided to it.  If both parties are sharing confidential information and want to restrict each other’s use and disclosure of that information, then you can purchase a MUTUAL Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement.   Here’s the sample Video Guide that comes with this Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (One-Sided):

Remember: if you need an Ontario lawyer, go to Dynamic Lawyers and make a post.

written by admin \\ tags: Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (One-Sided, download legal form, Dynamic Lawyers, legal forms and video guides, NDA, One Sided NDA

Here comes Legal Form + Video Guide #2:

Auto Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (One-Sided)

The “One-Sided” at there’s only One party at fault and only that party wants a release (in exchange for paying).  If both parties may have been at fault, then you can use an Auto Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (Mutual).  Here’s the sample Video Guide that comes with this Auto-Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (One-Sided):

written by admin \\ tags: auto-accident settlement and release agreement, canada, legal agreements, legal forms, online legal forms, ontario, toronto

So every time we add a new Legal Form + Video Guide, we’ll be announcing right here on the DL Blog…so let’s get started…The first form (right now, we’ve got 11 packages ready to go with a few more coming next week!) is:

Auto Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (Mutual)

The “Mutual” at the end means that both parties were involved in an automobile accident and may have been at fault.  Therefore, instead of dueling it out in court, they’d rather settle and release each other from any claims.  If there’s only One Party at fault and only that party wants a release (in exchange for paying), then you can use an Auto Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (One-Sided).  Here’s the sample Video Guide that comes with this Auto-Accident Settlement and Release Agreement (Mutual):

written by admin \\ tags: auto accident settlement and release agreement (mutual), canada legal form, legal agreement download, legal form, video guide

FYI, I will be appearing on CFRB1010 next week to discuss this new project.  There’s also talks with other local and national media to bring awareness to this fabulous new service – so stay tuned…Here’s the swanky Press Release that was issued today as part our Official Launch of Legal Forms + Video Guides:

written by admin \\ tags: canada legal forms, canadian legal forms, download legal forms, free legal forms, legal agreements, legal agreements ontario, legal forms, legal forms video guides

So Professor Fodden COINCIDENTALLY decided to write a blog on Slaw YESTERDAY that discussed a PH.D. thesis from 2007 by Christine Vanda Burns called “Online Legal Services – A Revolution that Failed?“  It’s going to take me a little while to go through this thesis (it’s 729 pages!). But, as Professor Fodden points out in his blog, the big problem is the acquisition and packaging of legal services (i.e. transferring knowledge).  For lawyers, their time can be more lucrative by doing what they’ve always been doing: hourly billings.  But that’s about to change…You see, we have just launched (COINCIDENTALLY, 1 day after Professor Fodden blogged about Professor Burns’ article) a revolutionary new product that will do exactly that: LEGAL FORMS + VIDEO GUIDES.  We have essentially packaged legal knowledge and documents for sale to the masses that can be digestible, interacted with, and which provide effective learning.  All at a fraction of the price a lawyer would charge…check out the promo video:

written by admin \\ tags: dynamiclawyers.com, legal forms, Michael Carabash, online legal services, video guides

The Future of Legal Services is here: LEGAL FORMS + VIDEO GUIDES!

Dynamic Lawyers is please to offer lawyer-prepared, customizable, and affordable legal forms.  Simple to read and easy to customize using standard computer software.  Best of all, these legal forms come with an array of FREE BONUSES.  For starters, there’s a FREE VIDEO GUIDE: you can now watch a useful example of how each legal form can be customized.  Next, there’s a FREE DL GUIDE: read useful information, prepared by a lawyer, about each legal form.  Then, we’re throwing in ANOTHER FREE DL GUIDE entitled “Is My Legal Form Valid and Enforceable?”  This DL Guide will discuss various issues you should be aware of to help prevent your legal form from being successfully challenged.  On top of all that free information (which would cost you BIG BUCKS from a lawyer to provide), we’re making this all available for you at a fraction of the price a lawyer would charge.  Plus, you get UNLIMITED USES of your Legal Form + Video Guide.  So what are you waiting for?  Check out the Legal Forms + Video Guides we’re offering now and come back soon as we’re CONSTANTLY UPDATING!

Also, be sure to catch me on CFRB1010 Radio talking about our Legal Forms + Video Guides on March 14, 2010 (but we’ll be sure to put up the podcast in case you missed it).

written by admin \\ tags: download legal documents, lawyer guides, lawyer videos, legal agreements, legal documents, legal forms video guides

Yours truly was featured in the Lawyers Weekly this past week in an article about lawyers sharing office space.  Lorraine Mallinder spoke to me and another colleague of mine, Toronto Real Estate Lawyer Joel Kadish, about the advantages and disadvantages of sharing office space with other lawyers, as well as our experiences.  Importantly, Lorraine mentioned our soon-to-be-launched Legal Forms + Video Guides project:

Sharing space with a like-minded colleague can get the creative juices going. Carabash and his co-occupant are currently putting together video guides offering legal insights and tips to lay people on everything from small claims forms to power of attorney applications.

Here’s the link to the full article (soon to be a .pdf on Dynamic Lawyers).

written by admin \\ tags: joel kadish, lawyers weekly, legal forms video guides, Michael Carabash, sharing office space, toronto real estate lawyer

written by admin \\ tags: DL blog, legal forms