Over 85 million Americans belong to prepaid legal plans, most of whom are middle class people who would otherwise not seek the services of an attorney. Legal service plans help members prevent legal problems before they occur. A lawyer can review a document or contract before you sign it. Or you can consult with an attorney before suing a merchant or landlord.

Q:	What are prepaid legal plans?
A:	Prepaid legal plans are often described as legal insurance plans. The typical plan provides consumers with certain specific legal services at no cost, and reduced rates for other services in exchange for a membership fee, premium, or some other sort of prepayment.

Q:

What types of services are covered?

A:

Most plans include the following: Free consultation by telephone or in the office. Members may call or meet with a panel attorney regarding almost any personal legal matter for up to 30 minutes at no charge. They may consult an attorney as often as they need to, as long as each consultation is about a different matter. Most members' legal problems are solved through consultation alone. Free follow-up services. Some problems can be solved by merely having the panel attorney write a letter or make a phone call on the member's behalf at no charge. Free document review. A panel attorney will review personal documents, such as, leases, insurance policies or sales contracts at no charge. He or she will also explain the terms of the documents and answer specific questions. Wills at no charge or for a small fee. Twenty to thirty percent discount off of regular hourly rates or flat fees on most additional services, such as, real estate closings, traffic tickets and divorces. Written fee agreements specifying what services the attorney will perform, how much it will cost and how it will be billed. Quality control. Members complete a form to evaluate the lawyer and the services performed. Grievance procedure. If there is a disagreement with the panel attorney over fees or other matters, the plan will attempt to resolve the dispute through an informal grievance, process or mediation. Confidentiality. All matters are handled between the member and the panel attorney on a strictly confidential basis.

Q:

What types of prepaid legal plans are available?

A:

The following types of service plans are available: Individual/Family plans. Individuals and families join for a minimal monthly or annual fee, usually through a credit card company. Employee Benefits plans. Employees pay a small amount through payroll deductions. Business plans. Small businesses pay an annual fee for basic business-related legal services. Payment to the panel attorneys varies by the plan. Lawyers may be paid directly by the clients (who may or may not be reimbursed by the plan) may collect from the plan after submitting a claim form or may collect a fixed monthly amount per participant covered.

Q:

How can I request more information?

A:

For more information on prepaid legal plans fill out this brief form and a representative from the Legal Club will contact you within two business days. Q: How Do I Enroll in the Legal Plan? A: Follow the links below to enroll Individual/Family Plan Employee Benefit Plans Business Plan If you should need Legal Assistance in Western Ny, see our Buffalo Ny Attorneys Practice Areas to see if we can help.