VSBL vs. LegalZoom

Answer: You should hire me, Virginia LLC attorney Justin Griffin, to form your LLC instead of LegalZoom for the following major reasons. 

1. I am $147 cheaper for comparable services.

I know this goes against what everyone assumes but LegalZoom breaks apart all the needed services for business formation. They get you in with a cheap price and then the prices keeps jumping as you add on all the required services.

My flat fee LLC Silver formation package is $147 cheaper than the LegalZoom’s pro package and approximately a week (maybe more) faster. (Prices as of 6/7/24, see the table below for a comparison)

2. I am a Virginia attorney who has worked with over 1,000 Virginia small businesses.

LegalZoom is not a lawfirm and cannot provide legal advice. They just take the information you provide and fill in forms. They openly have admitted that “80% of people who fill in blank forms to create legal documents do so incorrectly.”

3. I don’t require people who hire me to agree to 56 pages of terms and conditions across six legal agreements.

LegalZoom requires its LLC customers to agree to 56 pages of legalese contained in the following six contracts:  (i) Terms of Use (13 pages), (ii) Terms of Service (10 pages), (iii) Supplemental Terms of Service for Corporate Center (7 pages) (iv) Supplemental Terms of Service for Advantage Subscriptions (8 pages), (v) Legal Plan Contract (7 pages), and (vi) Privacy Policy (7 pages).  I cannot believe the extent of these agreements. Nobody should have to agree to all of these terms to form their business. 

4. I do not disclaim liability for my work like the one below found in Legalzoom’s “Terms of Service Agreement“:

“I understand and agree that LegalZoom is not a law firm or an attorney, may not perform services performed by an attorney, and its forms or templates are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. Rather, I am representing myself in this legal matter.”