What is limited scope representation?
Limited scope representation (“unbundling”) is a method of providing legal services where a litigant is not represented by an attorney for all parts of a case but instead hires an attorney for assistance with certain parts of the case. Limited scope representation allows a client to select services off a “menu” of legal services so that the attorney is hired for just certain tasks. For instance, the attorney may be hired to draft documents or give legal advice about the client’s rights or run financial calculations or negotiate a settlement or even appear in court on behalf of the client in limited circumstances or in many cases to draft all the documents in a case but to not appear in court. These are just some of the many tasks that the attorney can be hired to perform.
What are the Benefits of limited scope representation?
- There are no high retainers. Instead, the client makes a reasonable deposit toward the services and then it is a pay-as-you-go process. Since the client selects the services, the client maintains more control over what the client spends on legal fees.
- The client is provided legal advice. Access to online or court legal forms may cause a self-represented litigant to be easily lulled into the belief that they can handle their own legal matters without the assistance of an attorney. This can prove disastrous because a self-represented litigant is not likely to know how to complete the forms to protect their legal rights and may quickly become overwhelming and confused. It is also hard to represent yourself in an emotional matter because it is hard to be objective. To be done properly a divorce filing needs to be customized to the situation and the “bare bone” forms provided online don’t take all matters into account and the wording in legal documents may have lasting ramifications. Therefore, legal assistance from an experienced family law attorney is vital to protect the interest of the self-represented litigant and their families. Family law attorney Mindy Reynolds has years of experience in divorce, she has seen many issues that can come up during the process and she will specifically address those issues while providing these services.
- Sometimes, a litigant simply wants to maintain more control over their case and work with an attorney more as a partner in the process instead of handing the reins over to an attorney completely. For a litigant interested understanding the process at each step along the way instead of wondering what is going on in their case whether their concerns are being addressed limited scope representation may be the best choice.
- The process is often more amicable and less litigious. This is because even if the case is contested and some matters are in dispute the goal is to try to resolve and negotiate issues and not to litigate.
- The cost is lower for Limited Scope Representation because litigation is usually not involved. Additionally, attorney Mindy Reynolds offers a discounted fee for most services offered as Limited Scope Representation so there can be significant cost savings.
What if full service representation is desired later?
Sometimes a self-represented litigant determines that they need full-service/traditional representation when circumstances occur that change the outlook of the case. For instance, perhaps the issue of child custody unexpectedly becomes contested, and the case appears headed for trial. In that case, the self-represented litigant can consult with the attorney to discuss the possibility of hiring the attorney for full representation.
How does the client know what services to select?
The attorney will explain the legal process and recommend services based upon the anticipated stages in the particular case and the facts and circumstances of the case. For instance, in a divorce, it may be that the attorney is hired to draft the settlement agreement. On the other hand, if the client was provided a settlement agreement by their spouse’s attorney, the attorney would likely be recommending that the task selected be a review of the proposed settlement agreement to be sure the client’s legal rights are protected.
Contact experienced Kansas family law attorney Mindy Reynolds
Navigating the legal and Court system can be confusing, time consuming, and intimidating. Call the law office of Kansas attorney Mindy Reynolds to discuss how limited scope representation may be right for you to file a case in Topeka or surrounding counties.