Google-backed US online legal service to open up UK lawyer panel next month

Rocket Lawyer, the Google-backed US online legal document service, is on track to launch in the UK later this year, with lawyers set to be offered the chance to join its panel from next month, Legal Futures can reveal.

Speaking to this website last week during his latest visit to London, founder Charley Moore said he had recruited a well-known figure to lead the UK operation, which he anticipated employing up to 10 people, including lawyers.

The London base, which should open by April, is set to be Rocket Lawyer’s international headquarters as it targets further expansion outside of America. Legal Futures first revealed last year that the service – which had around 20m customers in 2011 – was heading for the UK.

Practitioners who sign up to Rocket Lawyer – which will not cost them anything – will have to provide customers with free document review but will then have the opportunity to sell other services. They will be able to offer discounts on their services to attract customers, but will not be required to.

Customers will be able to rate lawyers and their ‘score’ will be the default mechanism for listing them when users search for legal assistance.

Mr Moore argued that Rocket Lawyer will not take work away from practitioners; rather it will tap into latent demand for legal services and expand the market.

He added that for a “small fee”, firms could use Rocket Lawyer themselves as a workflow tool for document creation.

The documents are currently being drafted, he said, pointing out that he began Rocket Lawyer in 2007 with just one document available online. “We have the experience and competence to scale from one document to thousands in a short period of time,” he said.

The funds are in place for the expansion, after Mr Moore raised $29m in backing over the past six months. Google Ventures is one of his investors. The service will be promoted largely through web marketing and partnerships, he said.