LegalZoom

LegalZoom, Inc.
Private
Industry Legal Document Assistant Services
Founded March 12, 2001
Founder Brian P. Y. Liu
Brian S. Lee
Edward R. Hartman
Robert Shapiro
Headquarters Glendale, California and Austin, Texas
Area served
 United States
Key people
 John Suh, CEO, Laura Goldberg, CMO
Slogan Online Legal Document Services
Website www.legalzoom.com

LegalZoom.com, Inc. is an online legal solution site that was founded by Brian P. Y. Liu, Brian S. Lee, Edward R. Hartman, and Robert Shapiro.[1] In addition to providing an array of online legal documents like wills and living trusts, LegalZoom offers LLC, incorporation, trademark and registered agent services.[2][3][4]

History

LegalZoom began offering legal service products to the public on March 12, 2001.[5] Lee, Hartman, and Liu felt that since they were unknowns, they needed to attach someone to the company that people trusted. They came up with a list of potential candidates and decided on Robert Shapiro. Lee got Shapiro's phone number and called him at 8:30pm believing he would be leaving a voice mail, but Shapiro personally answered the phone and after discussion, liked the concept.[6]

In September 2012 it was announced that LegalZoom had formed a partnership with the United Kingdom-based legal services provider QualitySolicitors, as part of which the companies will jointly offer online legal services in the United Kingdom including company formations and divorce documents.[7]

In 2013 LegalZoom purchased a 206,000-square-foot building at 9900 Spectrum Drive in the Davis Springs Spectrum Business Park in Austin, Texas for a reported $21 million.[8]The Austin office acts as one of their headquarters and in July of 2014 they installed a 260kW solar electric system.[9]

On January 6, 2014 European private capital firm Permira announced its intent to acquire $200 million in the outstanding equity of LegalZoom and become its largest shareholder pending regulatory approval.[10] On February 14, 2014 Permira announced that the deal was complete.[11]

Services

LegalZoom provides legal solutions in various common categories including copyrights, DBAs, divorce, business formation, trusts, wills, name changes, patents, power of attorney, pre-nuptial agreements, real estate leases, trademark registration.[12] The company also provides a directory of attorneys as a certified California attorney referral service and offers flat fee legal plans with member-reviewed attorneys.[13]

Notable

See also

References

  1. ↑ First online dating, then online wedding planning, now this (22 January 2004). USA Today. Last accessed 17 April 2009
  2. ↑ Bernstein, Fred. "Being of Sound Mind, and a $55 Consultation". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Registered agent market share". NWRA. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Incorporation: The Web Can Help". PC Magazine. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.llrx.com/buzz/buzz48.htm
  6. ↑ Chang, Andrea. "Entrepreneur Brian Lee is business partner to the stars". www.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "LegalZoom to tie up with QualitySolicitors for British launch". The Lawyer. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  8. ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/print-edition/2013/03/08/legalzoom-pays-21m-for-building.html?page=all
  9. ↑ http://www.meridiansolar.com/legalzoom-installs-260kw-of-rooftop-solar-on-austin-texas-office/
  10. ↑ "Permira to take controlling stake in LegalZoom.com". www.reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  11. ↑ http://www.socaltech.com/permira_completes____m_legalzoom_buy/s-0053598.html
  12. ↑ http://lawvibe.com/legalzoom-and-the-rise-of-online-legal-self-help/
  13. ↑ http://www.legalzoom.com/attorney-connect/
  14. ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/2011-digital-100#27-legalzoom-27
  15. ↑ http://www.fastcompany.com/3017406/most-innovative-companies-2012/26legalzoom

External links