I recently received an email from a prospective client seeking information regarding a post-divorce decree modification procedure. Ultimately the prospect didn't schedule for a consultation, & instead I learned that he was pursuing the services of an online document content provider, NationalFamilyLaw.com, which is one of several such services entering the family law arena recently.
What I find tragic is that this prospect probably has no idea exactly what he is getting for his money, & even less of what he is missing by foregoing a consultation with an attorney. Don't misunderstand, I'm not necessarily opposed to online content providers if they provide services in a professional & reputable manner. I formerly was the Ohio counsel for a national legal services law firm with a similar marketing approach, although not in the area of family law. Their economy of scale can be beneficial to the consumer in some areas. The online provider in this instance was similarly priced for the services I provide to my clients. However, the similarity ends there. The online consumer does not receive anything approaching the quality of services an attorney can provide to his client. HOW DOES AN ONLINE DOCUMENT PROVIDER DIFFER FROM AN ATTORNEY'S SERVICES TO HIS CLIENT? First, NationalFamilyLaw.com does not represent the consumer in court & does not claim to. Their services are limited to document preparation of the basic pleadings a typical consumer encounters in a post-decree modification proceeding. This document preparation is supervised by attorneys, although the site does not specify whether this counsel is licensed to practice law in Ohio, or is even familiar with each county's particular local rules of court and procedure. The online consumer will represent himself, Pro Se in legal terminology, and appear alone in court. He does not have the benefit of an attorney to present his case & particular circumstances to the court in support of the request he is asking the court to consider. Second, the online consumer will never see an attorney or speak with one. Nor will he even see or speak to a paralegal trained in family law. All his communication with the online provider will be filtered through a "Family Legal Advocate." Thus, whatever information he does provide to the online provider will only reach their legal staff second hand at best. This necessarily prohibits the in depth questioning and probing "give & take" characteristic of a legal consultation. This restricts the overall presentation of the consumer's facts, his position vis-a-vis his former spouse, and his/her position as presented to the court. Third, the online consumer still must pay for his court costs, that is the expenses the court charges to open and maintain his case file. He must serve his documents once he receives them from the online provider and prosecute his own case as best he can with no assistance from the online provider or the court. He acts as his own attorney. An attorney not only drafts documents tailored to his individual client's case and legal issues, but also frames them in relation to an overall strategy, beginning from the first consultation to trial before the court, if that is required. He anticipates the unknown and plans for the unexpected. As Abe Lincoln said, "A man who represents himself has a fool for a client." Fourth, the price charged for this online document preparation of the basic legal documents, when compared to Monte K. Snyder, Attorney's individual representation in court of my client, is the same as my current legal fee! Who do you believe is getting the most bang for his buck? The consumer of legal services must do his homework. He must gather as much information as possible from both the internet and in person to person consultations with the attorney prospects of his choice, then apply a discerning mind to the information he has gathered. Which of his prospects does he believe best suit his perceived needs: professional, personal, communications, and financial? Even though there is a wealth of information available through the miracle of technology today, don't forego a legal consultation, for there still is no substitute. For further information: The Wild West of Divorce Marketing.
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Monte's BlogI've practiced law in the Miami Valley area of Ohio since 1985, with a "personal touch." Archives
June 2015
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