Google Didn’t Go To Law School
One time I had a headache that lasted three days. I Googled it and ended up convinced I had either a brain tumor or was about to keel over from sky-high cholesterol. Either way, for a few hours I was sure my days were numbered. You may mock me, but I say let him who’s never Googled his own symptoms and come away a little bit worried about an incurable wasting disease cast the first stone.
“Just because you Googled it, doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Why do we all keep doing this, even though we know the truth that just because you Googled it, doesn’t mean it’s true? I don’t know the answer to that, but when I Googled it, I found an article that said we’re all just looking for a little peace of mind.
Turns out it’s the same when it comes to online legal advice—with consequences that can be just as deadly for your business. Did you know that just because you Googled it, doesn’t mean it’s good advice (if the Wikipedia entry you looked at turns out to have been wrongly edited by a 16-year-old Romanian hacker)?
Don’t Trust Online Legal Advice
Can you imagine standing in front of a judge waving the sheets you printed from freelegaladvice.com while you watch him give your hard-earned business away to your deceased partner’s third trophy wife because you forgot to document a Business Continuity Plan?
You wouldn’t have your gallbladder removed by someone who read a WebMD article about it! Why would you trust the integrity and continuity of the business you’ve dreamed of, suffered, and slaved over to an article on the internet that you have no way of verifying?
Business Problem? Consult a Business Lawyer
Whether you have a good opinion of lawyers or not, there’s a reason people have to go to law school before they can stand in front of a judge. Online legal advice just doesn’t cut it. Why? It takes time to learn how to navigate the thousands and thousands of laws and loopholes in our legal system.
Next time you have a business problem, consult a business lawyer. Not online legal advice. Trust me, in the long run you’ll be much better off!