MyLawyer is the name of a new service being set up by Epoq, the company behind Rapidocs. Rapidocs is a forms and document generation program which was initially developed over 10 years ago and was the basis for the revolutionary concept of “intelligent” document generation where an internet user was able to create documents relating to his/her specific requirements by answering a series of structured questions online.

This concept is now the basis of quite a few sites providing online legal services. Epoq however, perhaps being too far ahead of the market at that time, switched its attention to corporate users and now works with HSBC, RBS, RSA, NatWest, Capita, DAS, Allianz, Abbey Santander and others, enabling the customers of those organisations to produce documents without (necessarily) needing expert assistance from a lawyer.

Now, returning to the market for individuals requiring reasonably priced online documents, Epoq is working with a number of major firms, including Nelsons, Pannone, Hugh James, Minster Law, Brethertons and Last Cawthra Feather, to provide the technology to their clients on the firms’ own web sites.

All the firms in the scheme will have an “online” site hosted by epoq, using the rapidocs software but each site will be under the control (in terms of design) of the firm concerned. The particular firms will also provide the basic documents used in the drafting process.

The MyLawyer site exists (and is being marketed) separately and will act as a gathering point for potential clients, passing them on to the particular firms concerned according to location, type of work and a general “fair shares” division of the potential business.

Nelsons is the firm furthest ahead with its own site – see the following article.