LegalForce to challenge the traditional model of legal services delivery

This week sees the launch of an innovative new business in the legal services sphere.  LegalForce is launching simultaneously in the US and UK a business aimed at servicing the technology industry through highly unusual retail-style premises (styled LegalForce BookFlip) which could easily be mistaken for a trendy coffee shop or a high street book-store.

The business is focused on tech-start-up businesses which need advice on intellectual property protection and general commercial legal services but which may not have the budget to hire one of the mainstream commercial firms, and delivers its services in a manner which is a long way from the traditional stereotype of a stuffy law firm.  Customers can drop into the retail-feel store, and use on-line do-it-yourself precedents, with guidance and advice where needed from a team of lawyers at a knock-down rate ($45 for 15 minutes in the US) and without the need to make an appointment.

The stores will sell a wide range of books, documents and tablets as well as having lawyers available to offer legal advice, and will run workshops on subjects designed to appeal to entrepreneurs.

The 8,000 square feet US store front has just opened in Silicon Valley, a short stroll from Stanford University, with a look and feel designed to appeal to the uber-cool vibe beloved by tech entrepreneurs.  The store is open unconventional hours for a law firm – including evenings and weekends.   

In the UK, the intention is to open a store front in either Soho or Shoreditch – both centres for a lot of high tech business start ups.  Initially, the UK business will be run by south London law firm Freeman Harris (who are also part of the QualitySolicitors network and a member of Rocket Lawyer’s panel), but if the business model succeeds then it is planned to add a number of other firms into the network to broaden the range of advice that will be provided. 

LegalForce was formerly known as Trademarkia, which launched in 2009 as an online trademark search service and which bills itself as being the world leader in US trade mark applications, with over 23,000 trademarks having been registered.  Over the course of the last year been morphing into a wider commercial e-law brand, and the opening of the physical stores is an attempt to re-engineer the way in which young tech entrepreneurs access legal services.

It is interesting to see a legal services business which started up as an entirely on-line business moving into having physical premises through which it interacts with customers, at a time when many others are moving in the other direction.  However, I can't help but think that this is a shrewd move which is well aimed at a particularly part of the legal-services-buying public, and I have high hopes that it will be a great success.