There is a large portion of the population that is underserved by the legal profession. Many people find themselves in situations where they either do not believe that hiring an attorney to represent them in their time of need is worth it or that they cannot possibly afford to hire one. When most people think of hiring an attorney, they imagine lengthy billable hours, full service representation where the attorney is there at every step and represents them in every facet of the case. Today, there are more affordable options and alternatives available for those who require the assistance of an attorney but do not need them for the entirety of a legal matter.
Unbundled legal services are method of delivering legal aid to a client in which an attorney representing a client provides representation for a clearly defined, agreed upon portion of the client’s legal needs. This is also known as limited scope services, a la carte legal services, discrete task representation, or disaggregated legal services. When an attorney offers unbundled legal services, the client is able to pick and choose what matters he or she would like the attorney to assist on and only pay for those services. Therefore, the attorney is not responsible for every single aspect of a client’s legal matter and will only work on and be paid for the limited legal assistance the client and attorney agree upon. Many states, including California where unbundled legal services were first officially recognized, allow for the unbundling of legal services.
While unbundled legal services can be offered in almost every area of law, when it comes to family law, some common examples of unbundled legal services include:
Unbundled legal services offer a variety of advantages to a client. The main advantage is the affordability of the service. Generally, attorneys who offer unbundled legal services charge a flat fee for their services. They are able to do this because how much work they will have to put in on the legal matter is predetermined beforehand. Since there is no guesswork as to what the total cost of a case may end up being, clients can feel more comfortable seeking the assistance of an attorney that offers unbundled legal services, saving them money and ensuring that they still get the legal assistance they need.
Not every legal matter requires the full attention of an attorney and not everyone can afford an attorney to represent them. However, failure to consult with an attorney in any legal matter can have disastrous unintended results. Unbundled legal services allow for a client to get the advice that he or she needs and the assistance in matters where they need it most. If you are looking for unbundled legal services in your family law matter, contact the Law Offices of Charles D. Stark in Santa Rosa, California. With three and a half decades of experience, he can offer you the assistance and guidance that you need through your divorce, adoption, child custody disputes and any other family law matter. Contact his offices today to schedule an appointment,707-527-9900.