As the legal profession continues to shift and change, many attorneys see unbundling legal services as a way to remain competitive with non-attorney "legal" services, reach a market that has money to spend but is unable to afford or unwilling to spring for full-service legal representation and accommodate a new generation of customers who are accustomed to using the Internet to do their own legwork and obtain the products and services they need.
As with any emerging practice, the trend toward unbundled legal services has raised a number of questions for attorneys. While the ABA and many state bar associations have embraced unbundled services as a means of increasing access to justice, there are of course caveats and requirements. And, of course, some of those restrictions and requirements vary from state to state.
This month's GPSolo eReport focuses on answering attorneys' questions about unbundling and pointing them to relevant resources. Our very own Stephanie Kimbro authored this comprehensive overview of the reasons for unbundling, where regulatory bodies currently stand on the practice, best practices, steps attorneys should take to protect themselves and make sure clients are informed and where to find more information.
If you're providing unbundled legal services or considering undertaking limited scope representation, read The Ethics of Unbundling.