Be Wary of Free Legal Forms From the Web

Also, this is a Web-based service, so you are dealing with legal documents that are stored on remote servers and move via e-mail. You have to be very mindful of who sees what. And finally, Rocket Lawyer's referred lawyers simply may not turn out to be the best for your issues.

When I challenged Rocket Lawyer Chief Executive Charley Moore about these issues, he was adamant that, when done properly, his service can be effective. Still, he said small firms must be careful.

"The professional help from a lawyer can be essential to small businesses not getting into trouble," says Moore.

Bottom line: Considering the alternatives, Google's deal with Rocket Lawyer makes good legal sense. It provides a fast, robust way to close a deal legally. But don't be lulled into a false sense of security. It can get nasty out there, and all it takes is a few bad deals to bring you down, especially these days.

Rocket Lawyer is slick but be sure check all important documents with a real lawyer you know.

-- Reported by Jonathan Blum in New York.

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