If the greater
provision of unbundled legal services is to be encouraged and facilitated through changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Rules of Civil Procedure, LAWPRO suggests that the goal of ensuring more satisfied clients and reduced malpractice claims can be attained by highlighting how the basic principles behind the ethics and court rules apply equally in the context of unbundled services.
The
concept of unbundled legal services has been recognized as a measure to improve access to justice for those who fall into the wide and growing gap between Canadians who can afford full representation and those who qualify for legal aid.
As we reported in our last newsletter, the NSRLP has embarked on a major project involving «legal coaching,» another
form of unbundled legal service delivery we believe responds to the needs (and budgets) of self - represented litigants.
He has been a pioneer in the
fields of unbundled legal services, mediation, and collaborative practice, and he has also authored the following books on these topics (you can order them here):
Christina Blacklaws, CLS director of policy, said: «In light of the impact of the civil legal aid changes, [the Co-op] is set to expand its current range of fixed and transparently - priced family law services to include an additional
range of unbundled legal services.»
Considered to be the founder of the «Unbundled» concept, Forrest «Woody» Mosten has spent the last 20 + years advocating for the awareness and ethical
acceptance of unbundled legal services.
With this conference, we are planning to provide participants with information and strategies to advance unbundling and engage participants in highly interactive exchanges that will lay the foundation for the creation of strategic plans for a broader
implementation of unbundled legal services.
LAWPRO feels that any effort to encourage or facilitate the broader
use of unbundled legal services should include the consideration of all relevant issues with the goal of ensuring that clients get competent representation on all matters, including those provided on a limited scope basis.
The
beauty of Unbundling Legal Services is the client can pick and choose what (if any) actions they wish the lawyer to do on their behalf and what they would prefer to themselves, resulting in significant cost - savings for the client.
Although the
promise of unbundled legal services is increasingly well - recognized, most of our attention has been focused on providing services to support individuals representing themselves in court.
He explores the
evolution of unbundled legal services during the past decade, including highlighting recent national trainings on unbundling and innovative new legal incubators that are helping to drive the expansion of unbundled services.
They would advocate solutions that include expanding pro bono services, amending law society regulations to allow for
provision of unbundled legal services and representation by advocates without formal legal training, as well as changes to billing practices and firm business models.
Dave also describes some of the underlying values of the attorneys he works with, and the unique way they relate to their clients, as well as Dave's vision for the
future of unbundled legal services.
One of the major
advantages of unbundled legal services is to provide at least some legal services for those who simply can not afford full representation by a lawyer and do not meet eligibility guidelines for legal aid coverage.
Examples of the unbundled legal services we offer include the following: drafting a petition for dissolution of marriage; ghostwriting a letter; appearing in mediation; appearing at an uncontested final hearing.
One of the most common
forms of unbundled legal services is the practice of ghostwriting motions, pleadings, and other documents for use by pro se parties in litigation.
He has been a pioneer in the
fields of unbundled legal services, mediation, and collaborative practice, and he has also authored the following books on these topics (you can order them here):
A breakdown of organizations and committees that provide valuable information for lawyers and have been instrumental in the growth and acceptance of unbundled legal services
LAWPRO's concern that unbundling could lead to more claims stems from the fact that the biggest causes of claims against lawyers — communication issues and inadequate investigation or discovery of facts — are at least equally, if not more likely, to occur during the provision
of unbundled legal services.
Unbundled legal services are one of the solutions to the complex issue of access to justice, and LAWPRO recognizes that the provision
of unbundled legal services is occurring in Ontario at the present time and that they are likely to become more common.
The source of this concern is that the root causes of the most common malpractice errors that LAWPRO sees are at least equally, if not more likely, to occur during the provision
of unbundled legal services.
We also provide our clients the opportunity to take advantage
of unbundled legal services.
Episode 26: Deep Dive with Dave Aarons, CEO of Unbundled Attorney: How to Thrive in a Disrupted Legal Market and the Future of Unbundled Legal Services