Melanie D. Flynn Law Office was created by its namesake with an Access to Justice Initiative inspired business model. We are passionate about providing accessible and affordable legal services by breaking down barriers and adapting to the ever-changing economic environment.
Legal Coaching & Pay-As-You-Go Services
Pay-As-You-Go Services
Pay- as-you-go services (sometimes called “limited scope representation” or “unbundled services”) is a way that a lawyer can help you with part of your case while you handle the rest. For example:
You can consult with a lawyer to prepare and/or review your paperwork for court, but attend the hearing yourself;
Your lawyer can “coach” you through your court appearances and proceedings while you represent yourself. Therefore, your lawyer works behind the scenes for you and you get to keep your legal costs lower than full representation by a lawyer;
o Your lawyer can help you with procedure, the law and strategy;
You can choose to do the preparation yourself and consult your lawyer just to represent you in the court appearance alone;
You can do your own investigation of the facts and have your lawyer to assist you in compiling the information in a format that is acceptable to the court;
You can ask the lawyer to be on “call” while you attend the settlement conference or other court appearances yourself, meaning they are available to you as a phone call “lifeline” should you need to consult them during the conference.
With pay- as-you-go services, you may be able to handle the entire case yourself, with “back up” from your lawyer. It really is between you and your lawyer how much of your case you hire them to do for you and how much you choose to take on yourself.
Some areas of law are extremely technical, and it is rare for non-lawyers to be able to effectively handle every aspect of those cases. Among these are pension rights, division of property, estate planning and business issues. You should consult a lawyer if your case includes any of these issues.
Legal Coaching - involves behind the scenes legal services provided by your lawyer while you technically represent yourself. This can significantly reduce your legal fees as your lawyer is only providing back up.
Unbundled Services - involves the ability to pick and choose which legal services you want to take advantage of, allowing you to reduce your legal fees.
Why Use Legal Coaching & Pay- as-you-go services in Place of Traditional Full-Representation?
Know your costs upfront so you are never surprised by the bill;
Choose from various payment options so you can find the one that is right for you;
Take control of your case;
Choose which services you use and how often you use them – therefore, you can control the amount that you spend on legal fees;
Get legal assistance and advice accessible for people of all income levels;
Build a collaborative relationship with your lawyer – working as a team to achieve your desired outcome;
Take advantage of increased communication between you and your lawyer as you work collaboratively towards your goal; and
Feel confident that solicitor-client privilege still applies to these non-traditional services.
Why it is important to discuss your case thoroughly with your lawyer?
It is important to thoroughly discuss all aspects of your case (even those which you think are simple or not relevant) with your lawyer before deciding which parts you want to do yourself and which ones the lawyer will assist you with. It is equally important to understand that there may be important issues presented by your case that you are not even aware of. You could be at serious legal risk regarding an issue you did not even realize exists. If you do not consult with a lawyer, you may miss something that could have helped you.
Additionally, new issues will sometimes arise after your case has started. If they do, it is important to advise your lawyer and discuss with them, so that you know the potential legal consequences to you. Remember that your lawyer can only advise you on matters that you tell him/her about, so it is essential that you provide complete information about your case. As well, it is important to remember, you and your lawyer are working as a team. That means good communication and a clear understanding of each person’s assignments is essential.