The Forthlaw Difference
Transparent pricing that saves bootstrapped founders 58-87% compared to traditional law firms
Price Comparison
Our Prices vs. Traditional Law Firms
Compare our transparent, fixed-fee pricing with the hourly billing model of traditional law firms. See exactly how much you save with Forthlaw.
| Service | Our Price | Traditional Law Firm | Your Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Formation Package | $750 | $2,000-$5,000 | 63%-85% |
| Bootstrapper's Growth Kit | $1200 | $3,000-$7,500 | 60%-84% |
| First Customer Milestone | $450 | $1,500-$3,000 | 70%-85% |
| First Hire Milestone | $550 | $1,800-$4,000 | 70%-86% |
| Funding Readiness Milestone | $850 | $2,000-$5,000 | 58%-83% |
| Executive Separation Agreement | $650 | $2,000-$4,000 | 68%-84% |
| Website Legal Bundle | $450 | $1,500-$3,000 | 70%-85% |
| Independent Contractor Agreement | $350 | $900-$2,400 | 61%-85% |
| Customer Contract Review | $400 | $1,200-$2,400 | 67%-83% |
| Team Equity Package | $650 | $2,500-$5,000 | 74%-87% |
| Advisor Agreement | $450 | $1,200-$2,400 | 63%-81% |
| First Customer Milestone | $450 | $1,500-$3,000 | 70%-85% |
| First Hire Milestone | $550 | $1,800-$4,000 | 70%-86% |
| Funding Readiness Milestone | $850 | $2,000-$5,000 | 58%-83% |
| Unpaid Internship Agreement | $450 | $1,500-$3,000 | 70%-85% |
| Paid Internship Agreement | $500 | $1,800-$3,500 | 72%-86% |
* Traditional law firm costs are based on typical hourly rates of $300-$800 for business attorneys
Why the Dramatic Difference?
Two Different Models
Traditional Law Firm Model
- High overhead costs (premium office space, support staff)
- Billable hour requirements (incentivizes time-consuming approaches)
- Partner profit expectations (typically targeting $500K-$1M+ per partner)
- Inefficient processes (each document created nearly from scratch)
- Risk premium (charging more for perceived complexity)
- Unpredictable costs (no price transparency until the bill arrives)
- One-size-fits-all approach (same service level regardless of need)
Our Streamlined Approach
- Standardized processes for common startup needs
- Technology-enabled document automation
- Focus exclusively on bootstrapped founders' needs
- No expensive office overhead
- Transparent, predictable fixed-fee pricing
- Elimination of the partner profit margin
- Services designed specifically for bootstrapped startup needs
The Details
Breaking Down the Costs
Here's what goes into traditional law firm pricing versus our streamlined approach
Essential Formation Package
$750 vs $2,000-$5,000
Traditional Law Firm Breakdown:
- Entity formation: 3-5 hours ($900-$4,000)
- EIN application: 0.5-1 hour ($150-$800)
- Basic operating agreement/bylaws: 2-4 hours ($600-$3,200)
- State selection consulting: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
- Filing assistance: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
Your savings: 63%-85%
Bootstrapper's Growth Kit
$1200 vs $3,000-$7,500
Traditional Law Firm Breakdown:
- All Essential Formation components: 9-15 hours ($2,700-$12,000)
- Founder equity docs: 2-3 hours ($600-$2,400)
- IP assignment: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
- Privacy policy & terms: 3-4 hours ($900-$3,200)
- Customer contract: 2-4 hours ($600-$3,200)
Your savings: 60%-84%
Team Equity Package
$650 vs $2,500-$5,000
Traditional Law Firm Breakdown:
- Equity structure planning: 2-3 hours ($600-$2,400)
- Vesting schedule design: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
- Equity grant documents: 3-4 hours ($900-$3,200)
- 83(b) election guidance: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
- Consultation on tax implications: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
Your savings: 74%-87%
Website Legal Bundle
$450 vs $1,500-$3,000
Traditional Law Firm Breakdown:
- Privacy policy: 2-3 hours ($600-$2,400)
- Terms of service: 2-3 hours ($600-$2,400)
- GDPR & CCPA compliance: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
- Cookie consent implementation: 1-2 hours ($300-$1,600)
Your savings: 70%-85%
"11 years ago when starting my first business, I got a quote from a medium-sized law firm for over $10,000 just to handle the basic incorporation and startup legal work. My total funding at the time was only $10,000! I eventually found an attorney who agreed to do it for $1,500 — but the work was riddled with errors. I created Forthlaw so no other founder ever has to go through what I went through, just to take a chance on their dream."
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