Q: I was told by a friend that I could save money in legal costs by using Unbundled Legal Services. She said it was like ordering a la carte in a restaurant. Is this true?
A: Yes, unbundling legal services is a way in which a person can reduce costs when working with an attorney. It’s also called “limited scope representation.” What this means is that although you have access to an attorney, some aspects of the legal process will be handled by you.
This form of working with an attorney came about because of the increasing numbers of people who have attempted to reduce costs by going to court without an attorney. In such cases, it can be extremely frustrating to all involved because the legal system has very specific processes that must be followed.
Some of the things an attorney can help you with include filing paperwork, explaining legal concepts, offering legal advice and being available for periodic check-ins. Working with an attorney, even in a limited scope arrangement, will help you avoid land mines and missteps, enabling you to sleep better in the long run.
Divorce is one of those areas of law for which unbundling works fairly well. It works best when couples take a collaborative, rather than adversarial, approach toward moving on with their lives.