DirectLaw Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common DirectLaw questions about features, security, pricing, setup, customization, how to integrate with your law firm website and more.

DirectLaw FAQ
Pricing

How much is a DirectLaw Subscription?

  • A DirectLaw subscription is $49 per month.
  • Fees are paid at the beginning of the subscription month.
  • There is no long-term commitment. You can cancel at any time.
  • If you cancel you will no longer be charged and your subscription will end at the end of your current month.

How much does DirectLaw charge to automate legal documents?

  • We provide the software for you to automate your legal document on your own free of charge.
  • If you would like the DirectLaw team to automate your legal document for you, the cost will depend on the complexity of the document.
  • We will analyze your document and send you a quote based on a $75/hour rate.
  • We will honor the quote, even if it takes us longer to automate your document than we estimated.
  • Revisions will be quoted in a similar way.

How is the monthly subscription paid to DirectLaw?

  • When you subscribe, we will charge your credit card for the first month.
  • We use PayPal as our credit card processor.
  • Your credit card information is stored by PayPal and they will charge your card monthly until you decide to cancel.
  • Charges will appear on your statement as “SmartLegalForms” – our sister company.

How can I get started with DirectLaw?

We offer you three ways to get started:

  1. Schedule a Demonstration – We will set up a Google Meet to take you through the DirectLaw platform from both a client’s and an attorney’s perspective and show you how all the features work. Demonstrations usually take about 30 minutes and we like to leave 15 minutes for questions.
  2. Start a 30 day free trial – You can start a DirectLaw trial without a credit card. Registering for a trial will create a DirectLaw platform. The platform will be fully enabled, but not customizable. E-commerce will also be disabled so you will not be able to take payments through the platform. When you subscribe, your trial platform will be converted to a fully functional platform.
  3. Subscribe now – If you think DirectLaw would be a good fit for your firm, you can subscribe now. As soon as you subscribe your fully enabled DirectLaw platform will be created instantly.

How can I integrate DirectLaw with my law firm website?

  • Every client facing feature of DirectLaw has a unique URL.
  • It’s up to you which features you want to link to and how you want to link to them.
  • For example:
    • You could add “Register” and “Log in” links to your navigation.
    • You could build a product landing page showcasing one of your legal services. You could link directly to that legal service so clients can purchase it easily.
    • You could add a “Pay” button to your website so clients can easily pay you any amount with a credit card.
    • You could add a support or contact link which would take clients to a contact form provided as part of your DirectLaw platform.
  • Want us to do it for you?
    • DirectLaw has experienced web designers on staff who have integrated DirectLaw with a variety of law firm websites.
    • We will analyze your website and integration objectives and send you a quote based on a $75/hour rate.
    • We will honor the quote, even if it takes us longer to automate your document than we estimated.
    • Revisions will be quoted in a similar way.

How can I customize my DirectLaw platform?

  • You can upload your logo so your DirectLaw platform will be branded for your firm.
  • You can choose what services you want to provide through DirectLaw and how much you want to charge for them.
  • You can create and price options for each service (e.g., in person notarization).
  • You can create promotional discount codes for a dollar amount or percentage.

DirectLaw offers two models for client payment:

  1. You can set prices for your legal services which clients can pay through the DirectLaw platform. This is useful for your clients come to you directly through your website.
  2. You can make your services free for your clients to access. This is useful for your clients who pay you outside of the DirectLaw platform, or come to you from a legal insurance provider.

Is DirectLaw ethically compliant?

  • Yes. DirectLaw, Inc. has decades of expertise in the delivery of online legal services, and we have been particularly careful to ensure that the DirectLaw platform is fully compliant for use by law firms.
  • We encourage you to read our comprehensive article on the Ethical Issues in Delivering Online Legal Services.
  • Although we have done everything we can to ensure that use of the DirectLaw platform is ethically compliant, it is ultimately the responsibility of the law firm to ensure they meet the requirements of their jurisdiction.

Is the payment process compliant?

  • Yes. If you choose to offer your clients the option of paying online, then you will have to set a fixed fee for each of your services.
  • You have the option of choosing whether client fees go into your operating or your trust account.

Can I edit the standard Terms & Conditions and Limited Services Agreement that appear on my platform?

  • Yes. When you first subscribe, our standard Terms & Conditions and Limited Services Agreement are included on your DirectLaw platform.
  • We wrote them with the delivery mechanism of the services in mind.
  • Firms are free to revise the text or to create their own Terms & Conditions and Limited Services Agreement.

How does the system handle conflict checks?

  • The DirectLaw platform does not conduct a conflicts check. However, it does capture the information you need to feed into your existing conflicts check processes.
  • It remains your responsibility to perform a conflicts check on all of your clients, regardless of the fact that they have initially come to you through your web site.

How can I perform a mental capacity check online?

  • If you are concerned about the mental capacity of a client, we suggest that you do not return their completed document to them online via your DirectLaw platform.
  • Instead you can retain the document after you have completed your review and edit, and insist that you meet the client in person for final review and execution.

Can a client see or access a document prior to or without attorney review?

  • No. The client will only see an online questionnaire which will gather the information necessary to generate the document.
  • If you want to fill out the questionnaire for them, you can.
  • Once the questionnaire has been answered our software will generate a first draft of the legal document for you to review and edit if necessary.

How does document automation work on DirectLaw?

  • DirectLaw uses Rapidocs document automation software.
  • It works by asking the client a series of questions. Based on the answers provided to these questions, the document is tailored to their circumstances.
  • Only relevant questions are asked.
  • Each automated document has all potentially relevant legal clauses programmed in. The answers supplied will edit the document to add or remove clauses as the question and answer session continues.
  • This provides an enormous amount of flexibility, and allows for the creation of a more customized document than is possible with a simple ‘flat-form’ or template.

Do we have to write or develop automated documents?

No. Your DirectLaw Subscription includes access to our library of over 300 automated legal documents covering a wide range of legal areas.

Can we automate our own legal documents?

Yes. If you have documents or legal forms that you would like automated so you can take advantage of Rapidocs benefits and time saving features, you can automate the documents yourself using Rapidocs Author. We can also automate your documents for you for a fixed fee which depends on the complexity of the document.

Can I use the automated documents in-house?

Yes. DirectLaw gives you the flexibility to prepare documents for in-house clients, as distinguished from clients who would complete the online questionnaire themselves. This option is helpful for clients who don’t feel comfortable using the web or simply prefer to meet with you face-to-face.

Can DirectLaw help me position or market my online service?

Yes. We have partnered with Cloudbreak Creative – a marketing and website agency specializing in helping small to medium sized businesses develop their online and offline presence. We encourage you to visit Cloudbreak Creative to see how they can help you.

Is my client data secure?

DirectLaw has taken multiple precautions to ensure the security and integrity of your client data including:

  • Secure Hosting – We chose to host DirectLaw at Amazon Web Services because of their commitment to be the most secure cloud computing environment available today.
  • Continuous Backups – Data on DirectLaw is backed up incrementally all day, every day.
  • Data Encryption – Data on DirectLaw is encrypted in transit and at rest using bank-level encryption.
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