Legal Services Guide

Legal Services and Legal Resources

Prepaid legal services plans involve the advance payment of fees or premiums in return for future legal services. They can be purchased by individuals from commercial providers, established by groups, or provided by an employer as an employment benefit.

Coverage provided by prepaid legal services plans varies widely, but tends to focus on summary legal advice, wills and estate administration, and home purchases and sales. More comprehensive plans may include coverage for family matters, representation in court  (but generally not major litigation), personal injury, consumer and debt matters, and, to a very limited extent, criminal matters. Many of the areas of law covered by prepaid services plans are not traditionally the areas of law which are identified by legal aid plans as a priority for clients.

Client needs in relation to legal services vary widely. For example, consumer, utility, and debt problems have been consistently identified in the major US surveys as matters of great importance to low-income people. Vulnerable elderly persons can have serious legal issues when their powers of attorneys are misused and experience problems that threaten their autonomy, dignity, health, income, rights, and security; mothers of young children who face life- threatening illnesses can have urgent needs in the areas of wills and other planning for their children. Persons injured in accidents, medical malpractice, or assaults can have legal issues arising from these events. Sometimes people may not realize the problem they are facing is a legal one. Other times, the person may know he or she needs a lawyer's help, but doesn't know how to get a lawyer, or is afraid of the cost of a lawyer.

Many of these problems can be avoided or remedied by legal intervention.

Legal Services and Legal Resources

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