Rebecca Green Thomason – Attorney at Law
When I first started practicing law almost 30 years ago, the Alabama Code cost $3,000. A lawyer had to have this set of books because it is all of the codified laws for the state. Books were a major expense. Earlier this year I bought the Alabama Code for five dollars. Yep, they have an app for that.
I have books in my office now but more and more I do my research over the internet. Every case that has ever been appealed is now on the web. All case law is on the web and all written laws are there and so are the rules and the scholarly articles.
The presenters of a seminar at the Alabama Bar Association told us that practicing law had changed forever. They said that no one looks in the phonebook for attorneys now. The belief is that anyone under the age of fifty goes to the computer first to find numbers, addresses, and specialties. My office assistant, Ann Coleman, says she would not go on line to find an attorney, a doctor, or a plumber. Of course, she is over fifty.
I’ve been trying to keep up or even stay ahead by having an online presence. I have a web page Accesslegalsolutions.com and a client portal. A client portal is a secure way that a client can see what has been filed in their case. The client can also upload information that they think might be useful. Also, they can communicate with me or Ann through the portal. It is just like your banking info is now available to you online.
Another part of an attorney’s on line business is called unbundled services. This is where you go on line and buy as much or as little legal services as you wish to pay for. For instance, if you are doing a will you can buy the will form from an Alabama attorney on line. You would finish the will as best as you can. You could go a step up and provide all of the information on line and the attorney would review the info. Then she would e-mail you the completed will but without witnesses or signatures. For an additional charge you would go to the office and have the will attested.
The same principle would work for divorces and other civil matters. The client would only pay for what they needed. If they needed to go to court they could, for a fee, get court coaching. Or if they want to settle their case on their own they could get settlement advice by e-mail or phone. They might have been served papers and just need a lawyer to review them before they decide to sign. If, however, the client wanted a lawyer to represent them in court they would buy that service in addition to the paperwork and advice.
The most advertized legal form service is Legal Zoom. Rocket Lawyer is also a site for legal forms. They are not state specific. The real risk for these documents is their validly under Alabama law. The laws of Alabama are not the same as Mississippi, Washington, or Tennessee. These form providers are not acting as legal counsel. They both have a disclaimer that states that they do not provide legal advice. Attorneys pay a fee to be a part of their referral service. Their forms are cheap. Wills sell from $69 to $119. Divorce forms for uncontested divorce with no children start at $299 plus filing fees. Legal documents are tested when they are needed. A will, for example, may be great until after your death. A form divorce works just fine until your ex takes you to court.
Speedy Legal is another service and has a local attorney, Richie Whitten, affiliated with them. Richie’s prices are about the same as mine. I do simple wills for as little as $75. Uncontested divorces may be $250. Many other local attorneys charge the same. This is with legal counsel. Which one do you want a legal form shop or legal counsel?
1 comment
Mrs Thomason, I guess the internet is a problem for every “business” owner, I own a home remodel business and if you are not on catchy websites such as Yelp,and Angieslist as well as having a web page that is frequently updated with attractive work no one seems to know you or use you. Yellow Book sales man told me last year a competitor of my was generating 550 calls a month and he had reported to yellow book that he landed 1/4 of those calls. So far the book has been out for 6 months and I have generated 2 phone calls due to the yellow book and no job. I was lied to and now I am stuck with a 150 dollar payment each month. I wish I could sue Yellow book for the lies.