The drawing up of legally binding contracts and agreements is the "bane of the life" of many a small business owner. Such documents are frequently required in the course of everyday business and legal consultancy is expensive. A local software developer, however, has come up with a cost-effective solution.
"LegalWrite for Windows is like having your own attorney in the business 24 hours a day," says Colin Mills, deputy managing director of business and accounting software specialist Brilliant Business Systems, a company in the Softline Limited group.
The program, devised by Brilliant in co-operation and consultation with Fluxman Rabinowitz-Raphaely Weiner, a leading South African law firm, enables small companies to quickly produce a wide variety of letters, agreements and contracts that are professional and legally binding documents.
"These documents have the look and feel of a lawyer's touch and can be generated as a fraction of the cost, " says Mills. "LegalWrite is made up of standard legal documents commonly encountered in day-to-day business, as well as others that may arise only in more specialised situations."
The latest version of LegalWrite, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2000 by Brilliant, complies with all of the requirements of the new South African Labour Relations Act and provides formats for contracts of employment, specimen warning letters, codes of conduct, disciplinary code procedure, grievance procedure and disciplinary action forms, among others.
A host of commercial documents including sale of business agreement, partnership agreement, shareholders agreement, distribution agreement, trust deed and warranties, is also provided. Other documentation covered by the program includes monetary obligations, matrimonial, property and a general section that includes items such as a simple will, special power of attorney and indemnities.
"The program simplifies the process of putting together legally valid and binding documentation," says Mills. "While the program will cover most circumstances, there may be occasions when specialist clauses or modifications are also necessary and for which professional advice should be sought."
LegalWrite is expected to retail at less than R500.
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