Legal services plans are benefits that some companies offer to their employees. The employee pays a monthly fee, his salary, as does health insurance. If the employee needs legal services, he or she receives a list of approved plan lawyers and a file number. After reviewing the list of lawyers, the employee contacts a lawyer and checks whether the lawyer can represent him in the specific case and keep the lawyer. When lawyers start developing their own small businesses or solo practices, they may need to adapt their billing practices to accommodate more clients. More and more clients are trying to represent themselves or try to negotiate legal fees to save money and control the amount of legal fees. As clients look for more opportunities to save money, lawyers need to be more flexible with billing options to meet client needs. Some types of billing options to consider are legal services plans, rebates, flat rates and restricted submissions. A 2007 Illinois Supreme Court decision, Dowling v. Chicago Options Assoc, Inc., 875 N.E.2d 1012 (Ill. 2007), determined that any written agreement or conservation arrangement, regardless of the type of conservation envisaged, should clearly define the type of storage facility to be paid for. It also recognized the viability of the custodians of the advance in Illinois. In an emerging issue analyzer, lawyer and wealth strategist David A.
Berek examines Dowling`s engagement letters and effects in Illinois. The author writes that if counsel concludes the agreed-upon representation within the limited scope of the appearance, he files an application for withdrawal. Alternatively, if the client wishes to expand the representation, the lawyer files a new communication on the restricted area, indicating the scope of the client`s new or expanded representation. The process of becoming a lawyer is rigorous and requires comprehensive post-secondary training. For professional legal advice, you need: The next type of billing option is a plan. Depending on the nature of the case, the package is attractive to the client, as he knows the exact amount of the legal fees and fees. This type of option may work well for transaction issues, such as real estate or wills.