Over 100 million Americans are signed up for pre-paid legal services. Also
called legal insurance, these plans are similar to those provided by Health
Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and cover the legal needs of the member,
spouse and any dependent children.
In a prepaid legal service plan, the customer pays a fixed monthly
subscription fee of up to $25 for the services of pre-selected lawyers.
The most basic plans provide advice and consultation by telephone. Plan
members receive a few hours of free office consultation with their assigned
attorney. They may also include review and advice on simple legal documents,
preparation, drafting or an update of a simple will. Phone calls and letters
can be written on behalf of members, a service helpful for credit problems
and consumer protection.
More comprehensive plans cover clients’ personal legal needs ranging from
services that require more time and effort on the part of your attorney,
such as contracts, wills and deeds, to legal representation in negotiations
and courts cases related to family matters, bankruptcy and real estate
issues.
Saturday
Taking The Leap Into Pre-Paid Legal Services
Choosing a pre-paid legal plan is a good way to save big bucks, but
choosing a plan you need and a provider you can trust is a different
matter. Here is a number of things to look for in a legal plan from the
very start:
Look for what’s covered: Legal plans are offered in different models and
differ in the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and
simple drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the
board, more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.
Know what legal coverage you already have Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.
Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.
Checking out the business you’ll need to do some homework before you
select your legal provider. Ask these questions: What’s the firm’s
reputation in my area? How many years have they been in business? Have they
been operating in my local area for at least a year without complaints? How
skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the locale where my business
operates? Some good places to start your background research are your state
bar association, the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Affairs
Office.
choosing a plan you need and a provider you can trust is a different
matter. Here is a number of things to look for in a legal plan from the
very start:
Look for what’s covered: Legal plans are offered in different models and
differ in the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and
simple drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the
board, more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.
Know what legal coverage you already have Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.
Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.
Checking out the business you’ll need to do some homework before you
select your legal provider. Ask these questions: What’s the firm’s
reputation in my area? How many years have they been in business? Have they
been operating in my local area for at least a year without complaints? How
skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the locale where my business
operates? Some good places to start your background research are your state
bar association, the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Affairs
Office.
Friday
Why you might need legal help
We are likely to need legal help at least once a year, yet most of us do
not actively seek legal help.
This is borne out of data from a survey
conducted by Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, on behalf of the American Bar
Association’s Section of Litigation, which shows that close to three
quarters of American adults experience some event during a twelve-month
period that may require the services of a lawyer. Over half of those who
needed an attorney chose not to hire one, and close to 80% of those yet to
experience legal problems gave strong indications they might go down the
same route.
Why all the doom and gloom? Price is the most sticking point
for most consumers. When it comes to hiring a lawyer, hourly fees of $100
up to $1000 are out of reach of most people’s budget. And then comes the
trepidation of searching for a good attorney and the right service: there
is a lot of uncertainty and confusion as what a lawyer will do, and how to
tell the good from the bad.
A legal plan may solve these problems and change the way you think of legal
services. Thanks to this arrangement, you can now talk to a lawyer whenever
you have a problem, without fear this will leave you out of pocket. In
fact, you don’t even need to be embroiled in a legal problem to get legal
advice: just pick up the phone, call your attorney and get the necessary
legal advice susceptible of resolving any potential problems –with
professional legal advice and follow-up, you can prevent ninety percent of
your legal questions becoming legal problems. Basic services such as the
drafting of your will, review of sample health contracts and writing
letters on your behalf are handled at no cost to you. If you want further
coverage to include family problems, such as a divorce or custody of
children, and any legal representation in court, then you simply pay a
premium and get more inclusive coverage.
Even if your plan doesn’t cover complex legal matters, it can still save
you money on those sky-high attorney fees. Discounts of up to 20% are
offered on hourly and flat rates. Ultimately, it’s not all down to how much
you can save. Having an attorney readily available at all times gives you
peace of mind, in the knowledge that there is someone you can use on
retainer for advice and help on anything of legal nature.
not actively seek legal help.
This is borne out of data from a survey
conducted by Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, on behalf of the American Bar
Association’s Section of Litigation, which shows that close to three
quarters of American adults experience some event during a twelve-month
period that may require the services of a lawyer. Over half of those who
needed an attorney chose not to hire one, and close to 80% of those yet to
experience legal problems gave strong indications they might go down the
same route.
Why all the doom and gloom? Price is the most sticking point
for most consumers. When it comes to hiring a lawyer, hourly fees of $100
up to $1000 are out of reach of most people’s budget. And then comes the
trepidation of searching for a good attorney and the right service: there
is a lot of uncertainty and confusion as what a lawyer will do, and how to
tell the good from the bad.
A legal plan may solve these problems and change the way you think of legal
services. Thanks to this arrangement, you can now talk to a lawyer whenever
you have a problem, without fear this will leave you out of pocket. In
fact, you don’t even need to be embroiled in a legal problem to get legal
advice: just pick up the phone, call your attorney and get the necessary
legal advice susceptible of resolving any potential problems –with
professional legal advice and follow-up, you can prevent ninety percent of
your legal questions becoming legal problems. Basic services such as the
drafting of your will, review of sample health contracts and writing
letters on your behalf are handled at no cost to you. If you want further
coverage to include family problems, such as a divorce or custody of
children, and any legal representation in court, then you simply pay a
premium and get more inclusive coverage.
Even if your plan doesn’t cover complex legal matters, it can still save
you money on those sky-high attorney fees. Discounts of up to 20% are
offered on hourly and flat rates. Ultimately, it’s not all down to how much
you can save. Having an attorney readily available at all times gives you
peace of mind, in the knowledge that there is someone you can use on
retainer for advice and help on anything of legal nature.
Wednesday
Who regulates pre-paid legal plans?
Pre-paid legal service providers are required to provide either a written
agreement of the services provided in their plans, or at least a written
communication concerning the services covered, together with the fees to
be charged for services not covered in the written agreement of membership.
However, most people gloss over “terms and conditions” and just sign the
agreement assuming they are covered for most legal services. This usually
gives rise to frequent complaints about the service, fee disputes and
complaints about attorneys.
Generally, if you have any complaint with your service, you should first
address any such complaint with your service provider. Contact them to get
information regarding their in-house complaint process and settlement of
disputes. If you are unsatisfied, then it helps to know who regulates your
kind of legal insurance.
Your state’s Department of consumer affairs licenses and regulates all
pre-paid legal plans. Prepaid legal service companies are required to
register with the department prior to commencing business and appoint a
sales representative. Further regulation can be provided by your local bar
association.
agreement of the services provided in their plans, or at least a written
communication concerning the services covered, together with the fees to
be charged for services not covered in the written agreement of membership.
However, most people gloss over “terms and conditions” and just sign the
agreement assuming they are covered for most legal services. This usually
gives rise to frequent complaints about the service, fee disputes and
complaints about attorneys.
Generally, if you have any complaint with your service, you should first
address any such complaint with your service provider. Contact them to get
information regarding their in-house complaint process and settlement of
disputes. If you are unsatisfied, then it helps to know who regulates your
kind of legal insurance.
Your state’s Department of consumer affairs licenses and regulates all
pre-paid legal plans. Prepaid legal service companies are required to
register with the department prior to commencing business and appoint a
sales representative. Further regulation can be provided by your local bar
association.
Monday
Who is involved in Legal services?
When you subscribe to a pre-paid legal service, you are likely to deal
with an attorney and a number of other individuals and organizations who
are involved in one way or another with the service. It’s important to
understand the role of each participating party in a legal service plan,
particularly when you’re unhappy with the service or when fee disputes or
any other litigation with your provider arises.
So, who is involved in your pre-paid legal arrangement?
Your Lawyer
You get to choose your attorney from a pool of attorneys in the network.
Your lawyer is your point of contact for any phone advice or office
consultation. He is the one who furnishes other legal services specified
in your written agreement with your provider: he drafts your will, reviews
simple contracts for you, writes letters on your behalf and makes phone
calls to adverse third parties.
If you are unsatisfied with the quality of work you are getting from your
current attorney in the network then you have the choice of choosing
alternate attorneys. You can also make a complaint to your provider’s
in-house charge of complaints.
If you benefit from legal services under a group plan scheme then there are
a number of parties who are involved in this scheme.
First the contracted firm, just as is the case with an individual plan, is
the one which provides all the legal help through its network of attorneys.
There are also two parties involved in the deal: a plan administrator and a
plan sponsor.
A plan sponsor is the organization you are member of, which sponsors your
legal plan. Your sponsor can either choose to provide the legal services as
a fringe-benefit, as is the case with most employers, pre-charge for the
service - universities usually charge for any legal service as part of
tuition fees – or charge low-costs, as do trade unions under a
group-bargaining scheme.
Your plan administrator is the person appointed by your sponsor to arrange
for the panel of lawyers from the contracted firm to provide services,
collects all the fees paid into a pre-paid plan, publicizes the plan and
handles enrollment and marketing. The administrator may be a an employee of
the sponsor, an insurance company or an outside firm.
Regulating Authority
Authorities that regulate pre-paid plans provide you with an outline of how
pre-paid legal services are managed and also an outlet in case there are
any complaints.
Individual pre-paid legal plans are generally regulated by your state
department of consumer affairs.
If you are an employee participating in a group plan funded by your
employer, then the legal services are covered and regulated under the
deferral Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
with an attorney and a number of other individuals and organizations who
are involved in one way or another with the service. It’s important to
understand the role of each participating party in a legal service plan,
particularly when you’re unhappy with the service or when fee disputes or
any other litigation with your provider arises.
So, who is involved in your pre-paid legal arrangement?
Your Lawyer
You get to choose your attorney from a pool of attorneys in the network.
Your lawyer is your point of contact for any phone advice or office
consultation. He is the one who furnishes other legal services specified
in your written agreement with your provider: he drafts your will, reviews
simple contracts for you, writes letters on your behalf and makes phone
calls to adverse third parties.
If you are unsatisfied with the quality of work you are getting from your
current attorney in the network then you have the choice of choosing
alternate attorneys. You can also make a complaint to your provider’s
in-house charge of complaints.
If you benefit from legal services under a group plan scheme then there are
a number of parties who are involved in this scheme.
First the contracted firm, just as is the case with an individual plan, is
the one which provides all the legal help through its network of attorneys.
There are also two parties involved in the deal: a plan administrator and a
plan sponsor.
A plan sponsor is the organization you are member of, which sponsors your
legal plan. Your sponsor can either choose to provide the legal services as
a fringe-benefit, as is the case with most employers, pre-charge for the
service - universities usually charge for any legal service as part of
tuition fees – or charge low-costs, as do trade unions under a
group-bargaining scheme.
Your plan administrator is the person appointed by your sponsor to arrange
for the panel of lawyers from the contracted firm to provide services,
collects all the fees paid into a pre-paid plan, publicizes the plan and
handles enrollment and marketing. The administrator may be a an employee of
the sponsor, an insurance company or an outside firm.
Regulating Authority
Authorities that regulate pre-paid plans provide you with an outline of how
pre-paid legal services are managed and also an outlet in case there are
any complaints.
Individual pre-paid legal plans are generally regulated by your state
department of consumer affairs.
If you are an employee participating in a group plan funded by your
employer, then the legal services are covered and regulated under the
deferral Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
Saturday
Types of Legal Plans
A prepaid legal plan is a scheme based on the payment in advance of a set
fee to defray the cost of providing future legal services to the members
enrolled in the scheme. They vary in cost, scope of legal coverage provided
and how the legal services are provided. We will look at the different
types of pre-paid legal plans available in the United States and how to
enroll into them
An individual pre-paid legal plan is readily accessible to the general
public. There are two types of individual plans: access and comprehensive.
An access pre-paid legal plan is the most basic plan. It is designed to
give easy access to lawyer and a set of simple legal services for a low
cost. Basic services furnished include unlimited toll-free phone access to
your attorney for consultation and advice, letters written by the lawyer on
your behalf, brief office consultation and the drafting or review of simple
legal documents.
Complex legal issues not covered will be subject to an hourly or flat rate
negotiable with your provider
The comprehensive plan goes beyond basic legal services, to offer more
complex and comprehensive coverage for a premium in cost. Generally, all
the benefits of an access plan are provided at no cost to you, plus a
broader range of services like drafting complicated legal documents,
negotiations with adverse parties, legal representation in court cases such
as divorce and child custody. They also cover all the costs involved in a
legal litigation. Comprehensive plans typically start at $300 per year and
are most beneficial to middle-class families.
A group legal plan is typically sponsored by an organization as a fringe
benefit to its members. The lawyer or law firm contracted provides free or
low-cost legal coverage to all members of the sponsoring organization.
Employers, labor unions and even universities are now increasingly
offering group legal plans to enhance the value of their benefits package
and reduce the cost of administrative burden. Law firms are contracted to
provide participating members telephone and office consultation for their
most frequently needed legal matters. These typically include: Preparation
of wills and trusts, document preparation and review, debt and real estate
matters and family law.
Additional legal coverage can be contracted according to a fee schedule
negotiable between the plan sponsor and provider, and publicized to
participating members.
fee to defray the cost of providing future legal services to the members
enrolled in the scheme. They vary in cost, scope of legal coverage provided
and how the legal services are provided. We will look at the different
types of pre-paid legal plans available in the United States and how to
enroll into them
An individual pre-paid legal plan is readily accessible to the general
public. There are two types of individual plans: access and comprehensive.
An access pre-paid legal plan is the most basic plan. It is designed to
give easy access to lawyer and a set of simple legal services for a low
cost. Basic services furnished include unlimited toll-free phone access to
your attorney for consultation and advice, letters written by the lawyer on
your behalf, brief office consultation and the drafting or review of simple
legal documents.
Complex legal issues not covered will be subject to an hourly or flat rate
negotiable with your provider
The comprehensive plan goes beyond basic legal services, to offer more
complex and comprehensive coverage for a premium in cost. Generally, all
the benefits of an access plan are provided at no cost to you, plus a
broader range of services like drafting complicated legal documents,
negotiations with adverse parties, legal representation in court cases such
as divorce and child custody. They also cover all the costs involved in a
legal litigation. Comprehensive plans typically start at $300 per year and
are most beneficial to middle-class families.
A group legal plan is typically sponsored by an organization as a fringe
benefit to its members. The lawyer or law firm contracted provides free or
low-cost legal coverage to all members of the sponsoring organization.
Employers, labor unions and even universities are now increasingly
offering group legal plans to enhance the value of their benefits package
and reduce the cost of administrative burden. Law firms are contracted to
provide participating members telephone and office consultation for their
most frequently needed legal matters. These typically include: Preparation
of wills and trusts, document preparation and review, debt and real estate
matters and family law.
Additional legal coverage can be contracted according to a fee schedule
negotiable between the plan sponsor and provider, and publicized to
participating members.
Thursday
The access legal plan
Pre-paid legal plans come in a variety of types depending on the scope of
legal coverage they provide.
The most basic pre-paid plan is designed to make the simple legal services
readily available to the general public at low cost. These plans typically
cost between $10 and $30 per month, billed in advance.
You get unrestricted toll-free number telephone access to a lawyer for
legal advice and consultation. You can also make brief office consultations
to talk to your lawyer about any legal problems you may be encountering.
Your lawyer can also write to letters or make phone calls on your behalf.
This can help resolve many problems before they escalate further.
Other services provided are not overly time-consuming: the drafting of your
will to distribute your property after your death, review of your trust and
any other simple legal document.
If you require any other service beyond the scope of a basic plan, then you
can either pay discounts on regular lawyer fees or pay a premium to upgrade
to a more comprehensive plan.
legal coverage they provide.
The most basic pre-paid plan is designed to make the simple legal services
readily available to the general public at low cost. These plans typically
cost between $10 and $30 per month, billed in advance.
You get unrestricted toll-free number telephone access to a lawyer for
legal advice and consultation. You can also make brief office consultations
to talk to your lawyer about any legal problems you may be encountering.
Your lawyer can also write to letters or make phone calls on your behalf.
This can help resolve many problems before they escalate further.
Other services provided are not overly time-consuming: the drafting of your
will to distribute your property after your death, review of your trust and
any other simple legal document.
If you require any other service beyond the scope of a basic plan, then you
can either pay discounts on regular lawyer fees or pay a premium to upgrade
to a more comprehensive plan.
Tuesday
Pre-paid legal plans help promote preventive law
Many people believe they need the services of a lawyer, under a pre-paid
legal service scheme, to solve a legal problem or resolve an intricate
situation. Often, your lawyer’s most valuable help could be before you
get involved in legal trouble.
When you sign up for a pre-paid legal plan, you have the right to unlimited
toll-free telephone access to your attorney. The sound advice and
consultation given to you by your lawyer will help you take the necessary
steps to detect and resolve any potential legal problems before they take
more dangerous proportions. This is called in legal jargon “therapeutic
jurisprudence” or “preventive law”. Just as preventive medicine helps
prevent disease by detecting their symptoms, preventive law helps prevent
serious legal consequences by detecting early problems. In an increasingly
litigious society, there is real concern that assets you have worked long
and hard to accumulate may be attacked by creditors and litigants, through
no fault of your own. By the time a potential claim or liability is
identified, it is too late to act.
A competent attorney’s advice is your best option to minimize your exposure
to potential risks and protect yourself from legal problems getting out of
hand.
legal service scheme, to solve a legal problem or resolve an intricate
situation. Often, your lawyer’s most valuable help could be before you
get involved in legal trouble.
When you sign up for a pre-paid legal plan, you have the right to unlimited
toll-free telephone access to your attorney. The sound advice and
consultation given to you by your lawyer will help you take the necessary
steps to detect and resolve any potential legal problems before they take
more dangerous proportions. This is called in legal jargon “therapeutic
jurisprudence” or “preventive law”. Just as preventive medicine helps
prevent disease by detecting their symptoms, preventive law helps prevent
serious legal consequences by detecting early problems. In an increasingly
litigious society, there is real concern that assets you have worked long
and hard to accumulate may be attacked by creditors and litigants, through
no fault of your own. By the time a potential claim or liability is
identified, it is too late to act.
A competent attorney’s advice is your best option to minimize your exposure
to potential risks and protect yourself from legal problems getting out of
hand.
Sunday
Pre-paid legal services for small business
If you are operating your own business, you cannot afford to go it alone
when it comes to legal matters. The ever increasing complexities of law,
spiralling costs of lawsuits and the proliferation of government red tape
can land you in a lot of trouble.
The flip of the coin is hardly attractive either! Hiring a lawyer can
constitute a substantial financial investment many cash-strapped small
businesses and entrepreneurs cannot sustain. Lawyers charge a minimum of
$200 per hour when it comes to “business law” and it can get very
costly if you are involved in lengthy legal procedures, complicated
contracts or business transactions.
There may just be a glitter of hope in pre-paid legal plans. For a set
monthly price, some legal providers are now bundling a whole suite of
legal services especially tailored to the needs of small-businesses.
Whether you need phone consultation on the legal complexities of a lease
contract, or require legal representation during tax audits, a pre-paid
plan can help you manage legal costs. An array of services is included as
“standard coverage” at no cost to you in the plan, and any legal matters
not covered can be provided with a discount on fees.
Before you take the leap, you need to keep some caveats in mind.
You need to know more about the quality of service you are likely to get.
While lower fees do not necessarily infer lower quality of work, it is
always necessary to bear in mind that legal specialization plays a crucial
part and lawyers are not interchangeable. Ask for references from previous
clients or ask entrepreneurs who’ve used the services of the provider about
the quality of work they have received from them. Use your state bar
association, service organizations in your locale and your local Better
Business Bureau to research law firms and the background of the attorneys
in the network before selecting them.
Things to look for are the number of years they have been operating,
complaints from previous customers, the education background of
attorneys, professional track record and so forth. With the increasing
amount of small businesses involved in litigation and
fee disputes with their legal providers, I iss important to give some
thought to alternative courses of actions when dealing with disputes. Ask
your prospective provider about the way in which they settle disputes or
complaints. Do they have an in-house procedure to deal with complaints,
appoint a senior attorney to deal with such things or do you simply have to
settle out of court?
when it comes to legal matters. The ever increasing complexities of law,
spiralling costs of lawsuits and the proliferation of government red tape
can land you in a lot of trouble.
The flip of the coin is hardly attractive either! Hiring a lawyer can
constitute a substantial financial investment many cash-strapped small
businesses and entrepreneurs cannot sustain. Lawyers charge a minimum of
$200 per hour when it comes to “business law” and it can get very
costly if you are involved in lengthy legal procedures, complicated
contracts or business transactions.
There may just be a glitter of hope in pre-paid legal plans. For a set
monthly price, some legal providers are now bundling a whole suite of
legal services especially tailored to the needs of small-businesses.
Whether you need phone consultation on the legal complexities of a lease
contract, or require legal representation during tax audits, a pre-paid
plan can help you manage legal costs. An array of services is included as
“standard coverage” at no cost to you in the plan, and any legal matters
not covered can be provided with a discount on fees.
Before you take the leap, you need to keep some caveats in mind.
You need to know more about the quality of service you are likely to get.
While lower fees do not necessarily infer lower quality of work, it is
always necessary to bear in mind that legal specialization plays a crucial
part and lawyers are not interchangeable. Ask for references from previous
clients or ask entrepreneurs who’ve used the services of the provider about
the quality of work they have received from them. Use your state bar
association, service organizations in your locale and your local Better
Business Bureau to research law firms and the background of the attorneys
in the network before selecting them.
Things to look for are the number of years they have been operating,
complaints from previous customers, the education background of
attorneys, professional track record and so forth. With the increasing
amount of small businesses involved in litigation and
fee disputes with their legal providers, I iss important to give some
thought to alternative courses of actions when dealing with disputes. Ask
your prospective provider about the way in which they settle disputes or
complaints. Do they have an in-house procedure to deal with complaints,
appoint a senior attorney to deal with such things or do you simply have to
settle out of court?
Friday
Pre-paid legal plans: can you get them for free?
They say the best things in life are free. In the case of pre-paid legal
plans, this may just hold true.
Pre-paid legal plans offer a range of legal services on-call for a fixed
monthly charge of up to $25 per month. With such a low monthly payment,
most people are only too happy to get a legal coverage they wouldn’t have
otherwise dreamt of in the stultifying, money-grabbing world of lawyers...
But did you know, you could get all of that coverage free of charge?
In a bid to cut on administration costs, employers, labor unions and
universities are now providing legal services at discounted or no cost
altogether to their members. Employers are increasingly sponsoring legal
plans to their employees as a fringe benefit, as part of their Employee
Assistance Program (EAP). Labor unions fund plans offered as member
benefit, or under a collective bargaining scheme, in which case new members
are eligible to huge discounts. Universities are equally as involved with
legal plans offered to students and staff.
plans, this may just hold true.
Pre-paid legal plans offer a range of legal services on-call for a fixed
monthly charge of up to $25 per month. With such a low monthly payment,
most people are only too happy to get a legal coverage they wouldn’t have
otherwise dreamt of in the stultifying, money-grabbing world of lawyers...
But did you know, you could get all of that coverage free of charge?
In a bid to cut on administration costs, employers, labor unions and
universities are now providing legal services at discounted or no cost
altogether to their members. Employers are increasingly sponsoring legal
plans to their employees as a fringe benefit, as part of their Employee
Assistance Program (EAP). Labor unions fund plans offered as member
benefit, or under a collective bargaining scheme, in which case new members
are eligible to huge discounts. Universities are equally as involved with
legal plans offered to students and staff.
Wednesday
Pre-paid legal: Are you really going to need it?
Are you enrolled in a pre-paid legal plan and worried your provider is
simply tallying up your tab for a service you’ll never get to use? Read on
as we explain the chances of using pre-paid legal services in legal
challenges you may be faced with.
In their lifetime, people are most likely to use legal services that fall
into four categories: civil defense, civil plaintiffs, criminal defense and
legal help that involves a variety of transactional or business law.
Your liability insurances already covers you for the legal pertaining to
civil defense. Your insurer hires the lawyer who will defend you and have
every incentive to defend your well since they are the ones who bear your
legal costs irrespective of the final outcome. In that respect, you already
have “pre-paid legal coverage” in place and a legal plan wouldn’t add much
to the coverage.
Civil plaintiff attorneys in the Unites States work on a “no win no fee”
basis. This means that they will not charge you unless they win you damages
in an insurance claim or lawsuit against someone who caused you physical
injury. Their contingency fees are calculated as a “commission” on any
money won, so there is every incentive for your plaintiff lawyer to defend
you and defend you well: the more you win, the more he wins. There is no
need to pre-pay for a service where you stand to lose nothing, and where
advice is readily available to you from plaintiff lawyers eager to work on
your case.
On the rare occasion you need to bring criminal charges if you’re involved
in a serious accident or defend yourself against criminal charges brought
against you, lining up a lawyer to represent you in advance is not the best
of decisions. In these situations, client-lawyer rapport is crucial: you
need someone whom you trust, build a rapport with and competent enough to
defend you in a court of law. You rarely get the chance to talk to your
attorney face-to-face in a pre-paid legal plan, and most of the attorneys
in the network do not do criminal defense work.
Transactional and business law is the area where you will most probably
find pre-paid legal services most effective. If you frequently need to
someone to draft your wills, review simple contracts and set up advance
health-directives or simply want competent legal advice at your disposal,
then going pre-paid will save you the trouble of searching for an attorney
and paying “a la carte”.
simply tallying up your tab for a service you’ll never get to use? Read on
as we explain the chances of using pre-paid legal services in legal
challenges you may be faced with.
In their lifetime, people are most likely to use legal services that fall
into four categories: civil defense, civil plaintiffs, criminal defense and
legal help that involves a variety of transactional or business law.
Your liability insurances already covers you for the legal pertaining to
civil defense. Your insurer hires the lawyer who will defend you and have
every incentive to defend your well since they are the ones who bear your
legal costs irrespective of the final outcome. In that respect, you already
have “pre-paid legal coverage” in place and a legal plan wouldn’t add much
to the coverage.
Civil plaintiff attorneys in the Unites States work on a “no win no fee”
basis. This means that they will not charge you unless they win you damages
in an insurance claim or lawsuit against someone who caused you physical
injury. Their contingency fees are calculated as a “commission” on any
money won, so there is every incentive for your plaintiff lawyer to defend
you and defend you well: the more you win, the more he wins. There is no
need to pre-pay for a service where you stand to lose nothing, and where
advice is readily available to you from plaintiff lawyers eager to work on
your case.
On the rare occasion you need to bring criminal charges if you’re involved
in a serious accident or defend yourself against criminal charges brought
against you, lining up a lawyer to represent you in advance is not the best
of decisions. In these situations, client-lawyer rapport is crucial: you
need someone whom you trust, build a rapport with and competent enough to
defend you in a court of law. You rarely get the chance to talk to your
attorney face-to-face in a pre-paid legal plan, and most of the attorneys
in the network do not do criminal defense work.
Transactional and business law is the area where you will most probably
find pre-paid legal services most effective. If you frequently need to
someone to draft your wills, review simple contracts and set up advance
health-directives or simply want competent legal advice at your disposal,
then going pre-paid will save you the trouble of searching for an attorney
and paying “a la carte”.
Monday
Prepaid for Small Business
Legal advice for small businesses does not have to be expensive. With
pre-paid legal plans, a wide array of legal services designed specifically
to cater for the needs of small businesses is available for a set yearly
fee ranging from $125 to $300.
Although coverage differs across the board, most pre-paid plans offer
unlimited telephone consultation with a lawyer, a valuable service that is
enough to solve many small-business matters. This encourages
“preventive law”: the process whereby you identify legal problems that
affect your business, contact your lawyer and get advice on taking steps to
minimize them.
Basic plans provide coverage for simple contracts and the drafting of
simple legal documents, like a power of attorney or a bill of sale. More
comprehensive plans will deal with more elaborate matters like equipment
lease and accounts-receivable collection work.
If you are a member of a local chamber of commerce, trade or professional
group than you can get a plan at a reduced group rate. Otherwise, buy
directly from a commercial vendor.
pre-paid legal plans, a wide array of legal services designed specifically
to cater for the needs of small businesses is available for a set yearly
fee ranging from $125 to $300.
Although coverage differs across the board, most pre-paid plans offer
unlimited telephone consultation with a lawyer, a valuable service that is
enough to solve many small-business matters. This encourages
“preventive law”: the process whereby you identify legal problems that
affect your business, contact your lawyer and get advice on taking steps to
minimize them.
Basic plans provide coverage for simple contracts and the drafting of
simple legal documents, like a power of attorney or a bill of sale. More
comprehensive plans will deal with more elaborate matters like equipment
lease and accounts-receivable collection work.
If you are a member of a local chamber of commerce, trade or professional
group than you can get a plan at a reduced group rate. Otherwise, buy
directly from a commercial vendor.
Saturday
Before You Take The Leap Into Pre-Paid Legal Services
These are some of the question you should ask if you are considering a
pre-paid legal plan.
What is covered? Legal plans are offered in different models and differ in
the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and simple
drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the board,
more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.
What legal coverage do I already have? Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you
have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.
Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.
What is the quality of the work they provide? You’ll need to do some
homework before you select your legal provider. Ask these questions:
What’s the firm’s reputation in my area? How many years have they been
in business? Have they been operating in my local area for at least a year
without complaints? How skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the
locale where my business operates? Some good places to start your
background research are your state bar association, the Better Business
Bureau and the Consumer Affairs Office.
pre-paid legal plan.
What is covered? Legal plans are offered in different models and differ in
the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and simple
drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the board,
more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.
What legal coverage do I already have? Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you
have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.
Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.
What is the quality of the work they provide? You’ll need to do some
homework before you select your legal provider. Ask these questions:
What’s the firm’s reputation in my area? How many years have they been
in business? Have they been operating in my local area for at least a year
without complaints? How skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the
locale where my business operates? Some good places to start your
background research are your state bar association, the Better Business
Bureau and the Consumer Affairs Office.
Friday
The Limitations of Pre-Paid Legal Services
Pre-paid legal plans are promoted under the promise of cheap legal
coverage, an attractive alternative to the high fees charged by regular
attorneys and law practices. But under the gloss of accessible legal
services for the general public, lie a number of limitations.
First, there is a limit on the scope of the legal services provided. Most
of what is provided on an unlimited-basis is phone based: calls to your
attorney for advice and consultation on legal matters, or phone calls made
on your behalf to third parties. Other benefits bundled in the plan are
limited: regular visits to your attorney’s office is restricted to a dozen
or so hours per month, the wills you want drafted or sample contracts
reviewed will be carried out on two or three copies per year. More complex
legal matters involving more time and effort on the part of your attorney
are not provided outright. If you need representation in a court for a
lawsuit on the recovery of damages, or a complex lease contract reviewed
and approved, then you have to pay regular lawyer fees. Some discounts of
up to 25% apply, but you could get the same discounts if not better by
the simple virtue of simple negotiations and clever comparison shopping.
Second is the restriction on your choice of attorney and the quality of
legal work provided. Although you are free to choose your own attorney,
client-lawyer relationship and the building of rapport are harder to come
by in this scheme.
Pre-paid legal plans are fraught with the “rookie” syndrome: the providers
usually resort to employing newly-licensed or trainee attorneys in a
cost-cutting exercise. Someone who does mostly wills, trusts and sample
contracts is probably not a good fit for a more complex legal issue like
the custody of children. In this day of age of increasing specialisation,
it is better to ask someone with specialised knowledge and years of
experience then it is to rely on a novice with a limited professional
track-record.
If you go down the traditional way, then there is restricted “pool of
attorneys” you can choose from. Your research will be easier and a lot
more comprehensive. You can set up interviews with lawyers, ask for
referrals from friends, previous customers or check your local bar
association. You are more likely to get a top-notch lawyer with who to
build rapport get competent advice and trust the judgment.
coverage, an attractive alternative to the high fees charged by regular
attorneys and law practices. But under the gloss of accessible legal
services for the general public, lie a number of limitations.
First, there is a limit on the scope of the legal services provided. Most
of what is provided on an unlimited-basis is phone based: calls to your
attorney for advice and consultation on legal matters, or phone calls made
on your behalf to third parties. Other benefits bundled in the plan are
limited: regular visits to your attorney’s office is restricted to a dozen
or so hours per month, the wills you want drafted or sample contracts
reviewed will be carried out on two or three copies per year. More complex
legal matters involving more time and effort on the part of your attorney
are not provided outright. If you need representation in a court for a
lawsuit on the recovery of damages, or a complex lease contract reviewed
and approved, then you have to pay regular lawyer fees. Some discounts of
up to 25% apply, but you could get the same discounts if not better by
the simple virtue of simple negotiations and clever comparison shopping.
Second is the restriction on your choice of attorney and the quality of
legal work provided. Although you are free to choose your own attorney,
client-lawyer relationship and the building of rapport are harder to come
by in this scheme.
Pre-paid legal plans are fraught with the “rookie” syndrome: the providers
usually resort to employing newly-licensed or trainee attorneys in a
cost-cutting exercise. Someone who does mostly wills, trusts and sample
contracts is probably not a good fit for a more complex legal issue like
the custody of children. In this day of age of increasing specialisation,
it is better to ask someone with specialised knowledge and years of
experience then it is to rely on a novice with a limited professional
track-record.
If you go down the traditional way, then there is restricted “pool of
attorneys” you can choose from. Your research will be easier and a lot
more comprehensive. You can set up interviews with lawyers, ask for
referrals from friends, previous customers or check your local bar
association. You are more likely to get a top-notch lawyer with who to
build rapport get competent advice and trust the judgment.
Thursday
An intro to Legal plans
What if you could pick up the phone and call an attorney to get advice
about any and all legal matters of interest to you? The attorney would
draft your will, review it and update it for every other year, make phone
calls and write letters on your behalf negotiate your contracts and
represent you in court. If you are traveling in another state and need any
form of legal advice, he will refer you to a competent attorney in that
state for no extra cost to you.
This all seems great on paper, but the mere thought of paying hundreds of
dollars an hour to put an attorney on retainer is enough to persuade most
people not to seek legal coverage.
You will be surprised to know that such coverage does indeed exist under
an arrangement similar to your health or insurance plan. Pre-paid legal
plans offer you access to all these legal services, for a monthly charge
of $10 to $25. If you are employed, you may incur no charge if your
employer provides legal services as a fringe benefit.
about any and all legal matters of interest to you? The attorney would
draft your will, review it and update it for every other year, make phone
calls and write letters on your behalf negotiate your contracts and
represent you in court. If you are traveling in another state and need any
form of legal advice, he will refer you to a competent attorney in that
state for no extra cost to you.
This all seems great on paper, but the mere thought of paying hundreds of
dollars an hour to put an attorney on retainer is enough to persuade most
people not to seek legal coverage.
You will be surprised to know that such coverage does indeed exist under
an arrangement similar to your health or insurance plan. Pre-paid legal
plans offer you access to all these legal services, for a monthly charge
of $10 to $25. If you are employed, you may incur no charge if your
employer provides legal services as a fringe benefit.
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