Nick Holzherr launches GitLaw platform offering free, fast legal document creation

A new platform called GitLaw has been launched by Nick Holzherr to address the challenge small businesses face in accessing affordable legal services.

According to statistics, 32% of small businesses encounter legal issues annually, yet only a quarter of these can afford professional legal help. Many of those who do seek legal assistance end up using personal savings to cover the costs, highlighting the prohibitive expense of the current legal system.

GitLaw, which is located in Birmingham, aims to shift this dynamic by offering hundreds of legal document templates free of charge. These templates can be downloaded or customized directly on the GitLaw platform, which has been developed by tech entrepreneurs including Nick Holzherr, who previously founded Whisk.com (acquired by Samsung in 2019). The platform’s name and approach are inspired by Git technology and the open-source software movement, promoting a model where legal documents are accessible for use, modification, and sharing with complete transparency of version histories.

Nick Holzherr, a co-founder of GitLaw, shared his personal motivation: “As a startup founder, I have first-hand experience of having to navigate legal battles without budgets for lawyers and I wish I’d had something like GitLaw – a reliable repository of free legal documents.” The platform currently hosts 300 documents covering essential contract types such as NDAs, Employment Agreements, and Privacy Policies, primarily contributed by reputable law firms and legal professionals.

Initially targeting small businesses in the US and UK, GitLaw aims to expand its services globally. Holzherr envisions the platform eventually supporting the creation of national laws, allowing citizens to contribute to and track changes in legislation transparently. This vision points towards a broader application of GitLaw, potentially revolutionising access to legal resources.