If you have suddenly found yourself involved in a legal matter like divorce, the process can seem daunting — and expensive. Perhaps it’s no surprise that many Michigan residents do a lot of research into whether they can handle their legal matters on their own, without a lawyer. If you are worried that hiring a lawyer is too expensive, but you are unsure whether you can navigate the court process on your own, there is a middle ground.
Unbundled legal services may be an affordable and effective way to handle your case with a limited amount of help from a trusted lawyer. You take care of the straightforward stuff. We handle the technical stuff. To learn more about these customized legal arrangements, contact Alward Fisher today. We are focused on finding the right solution to fit your needs and your budget.
What Are Unbundled Legal Services?
In traditional legal arrangements, lawyers charge a set hourly rate for the time it takes them to provide services in a given case. Clients customarily pay substantial retainer fees upfront, and attorneys deduct their legal fees from the retainer as the case progresses.
With unbundled legal services, also known as limited-scope arrangements, attorneys provide services on an “a la carte” basis. In an unbundled legal services arrangement, a client can pay a flat fee for help with specific tasks, then handle the rest of their case themselves. This allows people on a budget to obtain the valuable legal assistance they need without the expense of a traditional retainer model.
What Are the Benefits of Unbundled Legal Services?
Unbundled legal services offer a variety of benefits to clients, attorneys, and the legal system in general, because:
- Unbundled services are more affordable. Many clients who cannot afford traditional retainers can still benefit from consulting with experienced attorneys, even on a limited, as-needed basis. The lower costs of unbundled legal services allow these clients to obtain the basic education and assistance they need at a price they can afford.
- Unbundled services streamline the legal process. When non-attorneys represent themselves, they are more likely to commit errors or oversights that delay and overcomplicate the legal process. With limited help from an attorney, these pro se clients can reduce the number of hearings and court appearances needed to resolve their cases. This lessens the strain on litigants and court systems alike.
- Limited assistance is far better than no assistance. Even when clients can afford legal representation, some people still prefer to do things themselves. However, no matter how intelligent or dedicated a self-help litigant may be, he or she will naturally lack a professional attorney’s understanding of laws and court procedures. Limited scope arrangements can give pro se clients the boost they need to achieve their legal goals.
How Do Unbundled Legal Services Work?
Generally speaking, the process for securing unbundled legal services or limited-scope arrangements entails:
- Talking with an attorney about your legal needs ─ The first step will involve speaking directly to an attorney in an initial consultation session. During the consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to describe your goals, and the attorney can explain the legal procedures for reaching those goals.
- Identifying what you can do on your own ─ Once you understand the full scope of your legal needs, you can determine which aspects of the case you can handle yourself. If you’re uncertain about any steps, the lawyer can provide more information about what you likely can or cannot do on your own.
- Discussing any steps the attorney can help with ─ As you determine which tasks you can or can’t handle yourself, the attorney can provide more details about the specific steps they can manage on your behalf. This includes the types of documents they can prepare, the communications they can handle, and how they can advocate for you in court.
- Agreeing on the costs of a la carte services ─ After the attorney identifies which of their unbundled legal services may be right for you, they can collaborate to reach an agreement on reasonable costs or payment plans for those services.
- Contacting the attorney when you are ready for professional help ─ Once you are satisfied with your understanding of the unbundled legal services and the applicable costs, you can go about your business and reach out to the attorney as soon as you need their help. It’s that simple.
The Michigan attorneys at Alward Fisher are ready to discuss your unique legal needs in detail and provide you with the guidance you deserve at this critical juncture.
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At Alward Fisher, we provide more than savvy legal representation. We provide peace of mind. Peace of mind for your business. Peace of mind for your family. And the peace of mind for your future. No matter what types of legal challenges you are facing, we can help you find solutions.
Areas Where You May Need an Attorney to Step In
You could benefit from the unbundled legal services of an experienced Michigan attorney anytime you need a professional to help you with:
- Consulting on your case and devising a legal plan that fits your budget ─ As the saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Even a brief initial consultation with an attorney can give you a broader understanding of the legal rights, opportunities, and challenges that may affect your case. A lawyer can also help you craft a detailed and affordable plan for the legal assistance you need during your case review.
- Drafting legal documents ─ As part of your limited scope arrangement, your attorney can help you draft important legal documents such as contracts, deeds, wills, estate planning documents, business documents, letters, petitions, complaints, affidavits, notices, applications, and waivers.
- Reviewing agreements and other documents ─ Your lawyer can review agreements, contracts, and other important documents to help you gain a better understanding of their contents. This can be especially helpful before you accept a settlement or sign any binding agreements.
- Coaching you before negotiations ─ If you plan to engage in negotiations on your behalf, an attorney can help you understand what to expect and prepare accordingly. Lawyers are seasoned negotiators who can provide valuable tips and tactics you can use to pursue a fair outcome.
- Representing you at mediations and court appearances ─ In some cases, you may need a lawyer to be physically present with you during mediation sessions or hearings. As part of your unbundled legal services, you can receive limited assistance with preparing or submitting pleas, handling discovery, and making in-person court appearances.
Types of Cases We Can Help With
At Alward Fisher, our Michigan attorneys have a century of combined experience offering top-quality assistance to local clients facing a variety of legal challenges. We are happy to provide unbundled legal services to help you with:
- Divorce ─ Divorce proceedings can be complicated and emotionally exhausting. The experienced divorce lawyers of Alward Fisher can provide seasoned, objective advice about your legal options and help with common divorce issues such as annulments, spousal support, and asset division. If you are considering a DIY divorce, our unbundled legal services may be a good fit for you.
- Family law ─ Our family law attorneys can help you work through all types of family-related legal matters to pursue the best outcome for your loved ones. We can support you as you prepare prenuptial agreements, navigate the adoption process, or negotiate child custody or child support arrangements.
- Estate planning ─ If you are creating or updating your estate plan, we can help you prepare important paperwork, protect the assets you want to leave to your beneficiaries, draft healthcare planning documents to communicate your end-of-life wishes, and limit or avoid certain estate or inheritance tax obligations.
- Probate ─ If you have been chosen to administer someone else’s estate, you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. We can ease the burden of that responsibility by helping you locate and secure probate assets, appraise those assets, pay off creditors of the estate, and manage important documents and filing deadlines.
- Real estate ─ If you are buying or selling property in Michigan, our real estate lawyers can help you understand what to expect and resolve any unexpected complications that arise during the process. We can help with real estate cases involving commercial development, zoning, due diligence, titles and deeds, litigation, and environmental liability matters.
- Banking ─ We are prepared to help lenders, businesses, and local and regional financial institutions with many different transactions and banking needs. This includes commercial loans, loan documents, bankruptcy filings, loan reviews, audits, and debt collection.
- Business and corporate ─ Our attorneys can assist with all types of business and corporate law matters. We frequently help businesses, corporations, and those who work with them to form and structure commercial entities, merge with or acquire different entities, and purchase or sell commercial properties.
- Civil litigation ─ In civil litigation, two or more parties attempt to resolve disagreements and other legal matters in civil court. We can help with civil law matters such as construction litigation, bankruptcy issues, property disagreements, landlord-tenant disputes, and more.
Talk to a Family Lawyer Today About Limited Scope Representation
Alward Fisher is one of the largest independent law firms in Northern Michigan. Our trusted team has a wide range of legal experience, and our attorneys are committed to helping clients find resolutions that don’t break the bank.
Contact us today for an initial case review to learn more about our affordable limited scope arrangements.
