With the growing popularity of legal drafting web services and pre-written templates, it is easy to see the appeal. If you’re an individual in need of a lease agreement, land contract, operating agreement, or other documents, many of these websites offer free trials and low-cost solutions. With so many options available, it is hard to see why anyone would pay for an attorney to draft documents which are readily available online. Unless an issue arises between the contracting parties, many individuals execute these agreements and feel savvy for having avoided what they see as unnecessary legal expenses.
Unfortunately, issues with contracts arise more often than most people realize. In the United States alone, over 250,000 civil matters are filed every year. While the vast majority of these disputes are settled prior to trial, the expense of filing, or responding to, a legal complaint will far exceed the cost of hiring an attorney to draft effective documents in the first place.
Every type of contract can be written in infinite different ways, with a wide range of duties, protections, and legal remedies. Unfortunately, most of the contracts you’ll find through free or inexpensive legal document websites do not contain many provisions meant to protect the parties or explain the effect of failing to include such provisions. For instance, if you are drafting a land contract, mortgage, or other real estate transactional documents, the failure to clearly define the obligations of the parties and the remedies available in the event of a breach can leave you with little to no recourse, which can lead to long, expensive litigation.
Drafting effective contracts can be a daunting task. Unfortunately, taking short cuts only makes life more difficult if a contract dispute arises. That is why the attorneys at Gudeman & Associates work hard to ensure your interests are well protected. Contact us today to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.
