Charities Able To Increase Their Legacy Income As The Internet Smashes Legal Barriers

Regional law firm Brethertons pioneers online access to legal services with its launch of LawSense.co.uk. LawSense has been developed as a revolutionary way for your supporters to purchase quality legal documents and legal advice over the internet, with ease-of-use, cost-certainty and value for money.

LawSense can dramatically increase a charity's revenue stream by encouraging charitable legacies and residuary gifts. Speaking about the launch of the new LawSense website, Shaun Jardine, Business Development Partner explains: We appreciate that one of the problems with legacy fundraising, is that in order to leave a legacy, an individual must first make a Will. Legacy volumes can be stifled by the traditional method of producing a professional Will, sometimes because of the length of time and effort required to complete the process. Finding a lawyer with the required expertise and availability, and an inclination to promote legacy giving, deliberating over wishes, drafting, reviewing, correcting, and finally executing, can all detract from the good will of supporters to remember their favourite charity.

LawSense is one of the first websites in the UK to enable users of legal services to create legal documents online and interact with lawyers involved in the creation of the documents via the internet.

Logging onto the Lawsense site, users can select the document they require at any time they choose and immediately begin to complete it. The try before you buy' option, allows users to see the document being created on screen. LawSense is powered by highly sophisticated and interactive document drafting technology which intelligently interviews the user, just as a solicitor would, about their needs. As each question is answered, the document is instantly amended on screen. In most cases the document is then reviewed by a lawyer who answers any questions and amends the document where necessary, ensuring it exactly reflects the user's intentions.

Partner Elizabeth Young head of the Wills and Probate Team at Brethertons confirmed: LawSense will enable a charity's supporters to create Wills on-line from their home or office and have them reviewed by a specialist lawyer. Once reviewed and approved, the Will can be delivered direct to the supporter to sign at their convenience. As part of the process LawSense will prompt supporters to remember a charity organisation in their legacy giving. For every Will made in this way LawSense will donate 5.00 to the designated charity.

Shaun Jardine concluded: The internet has revolutionised the way we socialise, purchase goods and do business, and there is no reason why legal services should not be dragged into the 21st Century.

LawSense offers users access to hundreds of straightforward legal documents including the most in-demand consumer and business legal services including wills, divorces, pre-nuptial agreements and powers of attorney as well as shareholder agreements, employment contracts, business start-up documents, all of which have been developed by qualified solicitors and barristers. LawSense has a comprehensive, free law guide within the website which provides essential information on many legal issues.