What Exactly is LegalShield?
In 1972, LegalShield (then known as Pre-Paid Legal Services) established its business model of offering affordable and accessible legal services. LegalShield is a direct to consumer legal plan service designed to provide its customers basic legal guidance in many areas of the law. LegalShield markets itself through small to medium sized businesses nationwide , allowing employees to access legal advice through the company’s network of attorneys across the United States.
Beyond the personal legal services, LegalShield also provides business and identity theft services through its network of service providers. Headquartered in Ada, Oklahoma, LegalShield serves over 3.5 million individuals and families represented by 6,800 attorneys in Canada and the United States.
The Basics of What LegalShield Covers
In general, LegalShield offers a range of legal services to their members. These services include consultations and document reviews, among others. They also offer trial defense benefits, which become relevant for divorce cases. With regard to divorce and family law, the coverage typically will be handled on a "trial defense" basis. The member takes the same initial steps as any other divorce case, preparing their case with the attorney. It is important to remember that in this initial phase, the attorney may bill up to $350 per issue covered, under Your Legal Plan.
The issue covered is defined by Your Legal Plan. Generally, this means coverage for divorce, legal separation, or annulment which involves a child custody, visitation, or support issue. So, if the divorce action is purely about money (with no children), it may not be covered. If, however, a child custody, visitation, or support issue is involved, coverage may be available. In that case, once the first spouse files the divorce complaint, the second spouse is a "defendant" and is also covered for the divorce action.
So long as the case is proceeding "in the ordinary course of events," coverage will continue in the event of a divorce action between the spouses. When the court enters a final decree, legal coverage should end at that time. However, the legal coverage may continue until the divorce is finalized for any hearings that are necessary to divide community property, such as the division of stock options and other compensation.
Divorce Services Available Through LegalShield
LegalShield provides legal support for divorces through both its Individual and Family plans and its Business plans in the form of limited-scope representation. A divorced spouse can contact a LegalShield Member Legal Services Provider from the network in their state to obtain assistance with their divorce case. If the spouse wishes to have an attorney review relevant documents or prepare pleadings, LegalShield will provide these as part of its representation. LegalShield further states that if representation is needed before a court of law, the Member Legal Services Provider will work to ensure that the spouse receives this information, even if it means hiring an independent attorney to represent the spouse in the divorce action. In addition to these services, members can also obtain assistance with uncontested divorces, including preparation of an initial draft of documents for a divorce proceeding to serve as assistance in filing for a divorce.
What Divorce Coverage Does Not Cover
It is important to understand that while LegalShield offers affordable legal services, the full extent of services may vary based on the type of plan. This is especially true in divorce and family-related legal services. One of the primary limitations of family-related legal services includes the fact that divorce is often offered as a stand-alone service and will remain as such until the lead-up to the finalization of the divorce.
For example, the divorce service is a stand-alone service that does not include any provisions for reviewing custody, visitation, or support. These items must be addressed separately and may incur additional fees not covered by your original monthly or annual plan.
Other limitations of divorce services may include, but are not necessarily limited to:
Keep in mind that additional services may be available based on your plan type, so be sure to read the plan you are presented with to find out more.
The Pros and Cons
The costs of accessing a typical legal service under a plan provided through LegalShield generally are comparable, if not less than those incurred using a regular legal service provider. The average cost of legal representation is about $450 per hour…and while rates vary depending on jurisdiction and the complexity of the services performed, divorce matters typically do not tend to be the most expensive matters handled by attorneys.
LegalShield provides "doorstep-to-courtroom" legal assistance in divorce matters with attorneys who provide specialized legal services. Clients pay $24 . 95 a month to be enrolled in a subscription service offered through LegalShield’s independent associate network. For that fee, clients receive several types of legal services for divorce matters including:
In using LegalShield, the client is not faced with the usual hourly or retainer fees associated with legal work. Clients receive legal advice and assistance without incurring surprise fees. The money saved can then be spent on other essential components of the divorce process such as the procurement of outside professional services such as child care, moving expenses, and the like.
What Divorce Services are Available Through LegalShield?
In order to access divorce-related services through a LegalShield plan, a member must (1) have a plan that includes Family Law benefits, and (2) have a qualified family law matter. Your need for services must arise out of your eligibility for coverage under a legal plan as defined by the terms of the plan. Some plans only cover attorneys licensed in a particular jurisdiction. The scope of services available through your LegalShield membership may also vary based on the type of issue presented. If you do not live in the United States or Canada, you should confirm with LegalShield that your need for service fits within the plan’s coverage limits. You may be assigned to an affiliate law firm to handle your legal matter. In certain circumstances, another service provider may be designated to assist you by the local law firm. If your legal matter involves a divorce, you will typically need the following documentation: It is important to note that LegalShield will not be able to retain any document marked by the court as "File Copy."
The legal coverage provided by LegalShield does not include representation in court in each jurisdiction. This means that if your case is pending in one state and you try to open a new file in another state, you may be required to pay for that representation if it does not fall within the scope of your service plan. However, your legal plan does provide for the transfer of that case from one LegalShield law firm to another LegalShield law firm when you move between jurisdictions. Your representation may not extend to a court appearance outside of a local law firm’s home jurisdiction, although you may request that your attorney perform legal work for you in another state.
Consumer Experiences and Reviews
As with any service, real experiences can help consumers make informed decisions about their options. Here’s a taste of what actual clients have to say about their experiences with LegalShield divorce coverage. These testimonials are drawn from comments shared online.
Aisha Beasley of Toledo, Ohio had this to say: "I was facing a very difficult divorce situation and having only been married 7 months, I did not have much income to work with. My attorney was fabulous! She helped me with 4 different court appearances to try to get my ex to pay support for my 3 kids. Each time he would be in contempt but leave the court room to avoid paying. I had nearly exhausted all of my resources before finally getting some support the day before Thanksgiving 2012. I will say that my lawyer saved me, my kids and her firm represented me better than I could have asked. BTY: I never paid a dime for their help and communication was a breeze! Honestly, without Legal Shield nothing would have changed. I had no other choice but to handle it on my own! Legal Shield is worth the money – it saved me thousands!"
In contrast, client Sandra McDonald of Coralville, Iowa was less than impressed: "When I called for assistance, the lawyers guessed as to what needed to be done and did not take the time necessary to understand what the problem was. This was also true with the legal service I had previously. They simply do not care! My experience was that after they got my payment, I was not a priority at all. The only time I heard from them is when they wanted to collect payment. I got mad and fired them – both of them!"
Clearly, like most other services LegalShield has satisfied and dissatisfied customers. But customers with both positive and negative experiences have reported that the service is appropriately named. If you find yourself going through a divorce with the help of LegalShield, be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster ride.
How Does LegalShield Measure Up to Other Options for Divorce?
Most customers do not realize that there are other options available if you are seeking a divorce. There are alternative service providers that have the ability to assist you and charge a much lower fee than LegalShield.
Many new providers now offer flat fee divorce packages that can be purchased online through their websites at an affordable cost. Some of these providers include SolomonLawGroup.com and Fairway Divorce Solutions. These companies provide access to all of the necessary forms and materials required to complete the divorce process, along with step by step instructions on how to fill out the forms and what paperwork is required . You complete all of the paperwork on your own and then submit the forms to the court along with the required filing fee.
Many customers also qualify for free legal assistance either through their employer or by meeting certain financial qualifications set by the state. Services like Connecticut Legal Services offer free legal assistance for low income individuals by matching them to attorneys who will provide representation at no cost in most cases. Customers must meet certain financial criteria and priority is given to those with the greatest need. Many state bar associations also offer similar assistance programs where clients must meet both the need and the sliding scale financial criteria.