Free Legal Services:
The following nine (9) services are available at no charge from your plan attorney.
- Initial phone consultations for each new legal matter (no time limit)
- Initial face to face consultations for each new legal matter (no time limit)
- Review of independent legal documents (6 page maximum per document, no limit to the number of new independent documents)
- Plan attorneys will prepare a free Simple Will for you and your family, as well as update the Will annually for free. (see definition of Simple Will in Section 3)
- A state specific, web based, free Living Will form is available to Members. This form can be taken to a plan attorney and completed by the attorney for free
- Plan attorneys will help Members represent themselves in small claims court
- Assistance in solving problems with government programs, such as INS and Welfare
- When deemed appropriate by your plan attorney, he or she will write letters on your behalf (one letter per legal matter, with no limit on the number of new legal matters)
- When deemed appropriate by your plan attorney, he or she will make phone calls on your behalf (one phone call per legal matter, with no limit on the number of new legal matters)
Deeply Discounted Legal Services:
The following are eight (8) commonly used legal services for which plan attorneys have agreed to charge a one time, deeply discounted fee.
Legal Services
Traffic Ticket Defense
Name Change
Simple Will with Minors Trust
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Non-Support (Spouse/Child)
Simple Divorce
Regular Incorporation
Personal Real Estate Closing
Member Rate
89.00
155.00
250.00
750.00
275.00
275.00
295.00
250.00
Non-Member Rate
199.00
1,100.00
530.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
1,100.00
585.00
675.00
*In many states Attorney liability may require Plan Attorneys to obtain a retainer from the member prior to providing some of the free member benefits. (see definition below)
**Court costs and filing fees additional.
Guaranteed Low Hourly Rate:
Plan attorneys have contracted to never charge more than $125.00 per hour for legal care that goes beyond the free and discounted services described above. After the free letters, calls and consultations take place, you and your attorney will decide what course of action to take next. In many cases, you will have no choice and litigation may ensue. This is the point in time that plan attorneys charge the $125.00 hourly rate for legal care.
Retainers:
In the case of extended legal care, plan attorneys may ask you for a retainer. Any retainer sought will be computed by multiplying the number of hours a plan attorney believes a case will take, by the plan’s discounted hourly rate. For instance; 10 hours x $125.00 = a retainer of $1250.00. Any unused portion of the retainer will be returned to you.
Contingency Fee Discounts:
In the case of extended legal care, plan attorneys may ask you for a retainer. Any retainer sought will be computed by multiplying the number of hours a plan attorney believes a case will take, by the plan’s discounted hourly rate. For instance; 10 hours x $125.00 = a retainer of $1250.00. Any unused portion of the retainer will be returned to you.
The contingency fee discount will be a 10% reduction of the state maximum rate or the attorney’s usual rate, whichever is lower.