A few years ago, when I started my first business, there was a lot of paperwork to go through. It was a good truck so I needed to check many legal boxes. Apart from the paperwork, I needed to ensure the food hygiene standards were up to standard.
After a couple of years, my burgers business was going strong and I decided to open a second food truck. But this time, I decided to put it on another company, make it profitable and sell it. I was trying to start my career building such as small businesses.
At this time, I had not time to deal with the legal side of the business. I contacted LegalZoom and I sent them everything I had. After explaining the process to me, I felt better knowing I can solely focus on my good truck, menus, marketing and the bread and butter of the business.
LegalZoom features
Limited Liability Companies
Setting up a limited liability company doesn’t have to be complicated. For me, the process was easy and even affordable. The legal company offers such services from $79.
For me, this plan was crucial. I always wanted to separate the company from my assets but I didn’t know how to make this possible. After discussing with the local chamber of commerce, I came up with the plan.
My second food truck is now separated from my assets under the legal liability company framework. Taxes proved a lot easier for the company. However, another important reason for choosing this legal form was outside investments.
These types of companies are reasonable for outside investment. I was always dreaming big such as paying local councils for better positioning for my food truck. I also wanted to set up a simple corporate subscription plan for my business.
The idea was to have 100 burgers delivered every day to nearby offices. But the plan requires external investment to fund the marketing campaign. The right legal framework supported my plan perfectly.
Nonprofit
Setting up a nonprofit is not a priority for me at the moment. But the legal company offers such a service with the right paperwork. In a few years, I’m planning to start a nonprofit for street food vendors.
I’m planning to use the organization to bring these vendors together to benefit all of them. The idea is to create healthier food with high hygiene standards. According to my plan, these businesses are going to work together to offer complete meals to corporate clients on a subscription basis.
Wills and Trusts
Setting up a will is now considered a good financial practice. As any parents know, I also want my kids to have the legal right to my goods when I’m not here anymore.
Discussing the issue with my legal team confirmed this is a good idea, even if I’m not close to my retirement age. Such services start at $179.
But my will also benefits from free legal advice at this price. I may also update it for free within a year. Trusts can also be included in testaments and similar financial declarations starting at $329.
Trademark Registration
Trademark registration is a process that evades me for some reason. I’m not able to find a good reason not to look deeply into the topic myself. But I think it’s the amount of information in this space which scares me the most.
After discussing the issue with the lawyers, I decided to trademark my second food truck. I’m working hard with a marketing team to come up with a catchy name, logo and menu concepts. The last problem I want to face is someone stealing my idea.
Copyright Registration
Copyright registration is a must for intellectual property. At one point, I published an e-book with useful information about how to start a good truck business. After a few months, parts of my book were already published on all types of blogs.
While I knew this was not legal, I had little ground to file a complaint. The ebook was not registered and they could have argued against me in case I got to court. I’m sure a good lawyer would have won the case for me.
But I want to avoid such an issue with all costs in the future. Such aspects of copyright infringement usually take time to fix. I don’t have that time now as I need to focus on my business.
Nondisclosure Agreements
Some of my work requires creating and signing nondisclosure agreements. One of the companies working on my businesses’ logo signed such a contract for me.
Since these contracts are standard, there’s a tool on the website which allows you to create an NDA with just a few clicks. I like the fact anyone can just log in and create such a contract without losing too much time.
Independent Contractor Agreements
This type of agreement is also supported by an online tool. I will use it to make some modifications to my truck. This is where a contractor is going to make it ready for trading. This contract can also be created and printed in a matter of minutes.
Legal Plans
If you need custom legal advice, you can find it here as well. This is where clients who need something a bit different can end up. If you’re setting up a business with employees and complex tax to pay, it can be the right option for you.
To join this plan, you simply set up the period you want your consultation to last. The legal firm then assigns an attorney to you with all the right answers to your questions.
Lifeplans
Lifeplans include independent advice and guidance. It covers estate planning, tax advice, and financial protection advice. While it covers the needs of employees, it’s especially useful for employers.
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
The legal support the company offers is affordable. I’ve checked what clients are saying about the company and it almost always high praises for affordability and timely delivery. Customer support is also implemented to run as smoothly.
For those who run businesses, the company can handle every aspect of the legal side. For others, the company can write wills and nondisclosure agreements. If you’re getting a divorce, the lawyers can also help you with your case. In many situations, people need to decide on how to split the goods as the court may intervene and make a call on shared goods.
Most importantly, the company offers clients a personalized client area under the account section. Here, I’m able to find all the documents the layers write for me. I’m also able to upload documents they need to work on.
If you want to join the company, feel free to set up an account and browse their services and prices. The flat fees make most of these services attractive. But many of these services such as certain contracts are self-guided you can have them printed in a matter of minutes.
