In the last twenty years or so we have seen several booms in technology and the economy. Health insurance, cell phones, and wireless computers- all of these were trends which slowly trickled into society and then, BOOM. Things which were once considered anomalies are now staples of life. Just why this is is an open question, but there are signs which point towards what will become the next perfect, economic and social storm. My prediction for the next great American storm is prepaid legal services. Why Prepaid? First of all, we should answer the question with another question- why health insurance or cell phones? In a word- Europe. Europe has been the traditional testing ground for new services and ground breaking products. Europe was the first society to introduce health insurance years ago. Europe was the first to introduce cell phones. Both were tested and eventually saturated the markets. America waited, watched, and followed suit. Now health insurance and cell phones are practically taken for granted by a majority. Prepaid legal is now used by eighty percent of the population in Europe. The Two Percent Factor Economists have come up with a kind of economic paradigm. Whenever company or a business reaches two percent market penetration(of the United States). this means this business or company is poised for explosive growth. Prepaid legal is at such a critical moment in their history. Add to this, the fact that that Europe has been a dependable indicator of things to come and you have a recipe for success... Litigation: The American Way Everyone knows that lawsuits are a way of life in America. Every year, tens of millions of lawsuits are filed. We have the greatest number of lawyers and the numbers only increase as time goes by. Given the staggering number of legal cases that occur each year. It's a wonder why prepaid legal services has not hit the ceiling any sooner. But you also may be thinking, 'I don't need a lawyer." Think again there are many reasons you want to have a lawyer. Preventive medicine There are lots of reasons to have a lawyer on call when you need him or her. First, obviously, is when a lawsuit is involved. In this case, it would be foolish to have to pay hundreds of dollars per hour for a case that you may or may not lose. Having the insurance of legal assistance makes much more financial success. Secondly, you need a lawyer for the smaller issues- bills, contracts, and product complaint. Any transaction between two parties is considered a legal one. If you have been overcharged or under services or mistreated, legal representation is by far the most effective means of getting justice, financial and otherwise. Ways Lawyers Can Help Prepaid legal services have top quality attorneys on hand to provide legal counsel within twenty four hours of initial contact. Prepaid lawyers can write official letters on your behalf. The mere fact that you have lawyers on your side writing letters sends a very powerful statement. Prepaid lawyers will represent you, in court, for a certain number of hours. Most importantly, prepaid lawyers can write the ever important will. The Terry Schiavo case has made it more clear now the necessity of having a living will. 24 hours There are many cases of criminal profiling by the police. Many times these cases are unfair and end up with mistreatment, humiliation, or even jail time. With a prepaid lawyer, you can call up your lawyer while you are being harassed, literally. Most policemen appreciate the power of prepaid legal services as many are members themselves. Individual Accountability Unfortunately, the cost of legal representation is out of the reach of many. It is our duty as citizens to protect ourselves legally and affordably, if possible. Prepaid legal services makes the legal system possible for all, the true American way.
Family Legal Service Plans
Business Opportunity
Identity Theft Shield
Legal Forms iPlan
Insurance and Financial
Family Legal Service Plans-
Summary:
Expanded Family Plan
$25/month + $10 enrollment fee
Coverage Summary:
Preventive Legal Services
Motor Vehicle Legal Expense Services
Trial Defense Services
IRS Audit Legal Services
Other Legal Services
Who's included in the plan:
You as the primary member
Your spouse
Never-married, dependent children up to age 21 who live at home
Never-married, dependent children up to age 23 who are full-time college students
Children up to age 18 for whom you are legal guardian, and
Any dependent child, regardless of age, who is mentally or physically disabled and dependent upon you for support.
Coverage Details:
Preventive Legal Services
Phone Consultations on Unlimited Matters
As a member, you can consult with your Provider Law Firm toll free by phone on any personal or business-related matter. Just call your Provider's toll-free number during regular business hours when you have a legal problem or question.
Phone Calls and Letters...
A phone call or letter from your Provider Lawyer can get you the results you want fast. Your Provider Lawyer will recommend a letter or phone call when that is the best step for you. One call or letter per personal subject related matter is free with your membership. Plus, you'll receive two business letters each year at no additional cost! Additional assistance for same subject at 25% discount.
Contract and Document Review...
You can have an unlimited number of personal legal documents, up to ten pages each, reviewed by your Provider Lawyer. Included each year is one business document review at no additional cost! Your Provider Lawyer will analyze the documents and suggest changes for your benefit before you sign.
Wills for You and Your Family...
A Will for you at no additional charge, not just a "simple" Will, but one that meets most Americans' needs - with free yearly reviews and updates. Wills for covered family members are just $20 each; changes and updates $20. Trust preparation is available at a 25% discount.
* Additional Information & Exclusions
Motor Vehicle Legal Expense Services
Minor Legal Expenses
Your Provider Lawyer will represent you or your covered family members against moving traffic violations at no additional cost to you. Now you can have help with traffic tickets and not have to worry about the cost of representation.
Major Legal Expenses
Your Provider Lawyer will defend you or your covered family members when you are charged with Manslaughter, Involuntary Manslaughter, Negligent Homicide, or Vehicular Homicide at no added cost to you.
And add up to 2.5 hours for help with..
Damage recovery service
Driver's license assistance
Personal injury legal expenses
* Additional Information & Exclusions
Trial Defense Services
Lawsuits cause tremendous emotional and financial stress. Your Pre-Paid Legal membership offers assistance when you need it most.
Up to 75 hours of lawyer time...
During your first membership year, you have up to 75 hours of your Provider Lawyer's time at no additional cost when you or your spouse is named defendant or respondent in a covered civil or criminal action filed in a court of law. The criminal action must be one which arises out of the direct performance of the covered person's employment activities. Your Provider Firm can advise you of the documents required to determine coverage under this benefit.
Of these 75 hours, up to 17.5 hours may be used for all legal services rendered in defense of the covered suit prior to actual trial. Up to 57.5 of the remaining hours are available for actual trial time including covered criminal preliminary hearings.
Your hours of service increase...
When you renew your membership, your hours of lawyer time increase as follows:
2nd year renewal: Up to 140 hours of assistance at no additional charge including up to 23 hours of pre-trial time.
3rd year renewal: Up to 205 hours of assistance at no additional charge including up to 28.5 hours of pre-trial time.
4th year renewal: Up to 270 hours of assistance at no additional charge including up to 34 hours of pre-trial time.
5th year renewal: Up to 335 hours of assistance at no additional charge including up to 39.5 hours of pre-trial time.
* Additional Information & Exclusions
IRS Audit Legal Services
Your Pre-Paid Legal membership will help you defray the costs of an IRS audit and give you the legal support you need.
Up to 50 hours of lawyer time...
You have up to 50 hours of your Provider Lawyer's time available at no additional cost when you or a covered family member receives written notice of an IRS audit or are requested to appear at IRS offices regarding your tax return. Your 50 hours are available as follows:
Up to one hour for consultation, advice, and assistance when you receive written notice from the IRS of audit or appearance.
If there is no settlement within 30 days, you have up to 2.5 hours for audit representation, negotiations, phone conversations, and settlement conferences prior to litigation.
If there is no settlement without litigation, up to 46.5 of the remaining hours are available for actual trial appearance if the IRS sues you, or you pay the disputed tax and sue the IRS.
* Additional Information & Exclusions
Other Legal Services
Your Provider Lawyer will render assistance at a 25% reduction to his or her standard hourly rate* for you or your spouse should you need legal services not covered by this plan. A retainer may be required for services being rendered under this benefit. Five days are required for preparation for court representation.
*Hourly rates for Referral Lawyers and court appearances may
vary.
* Additional Information & Exclusions
Additional Information & Exclusions:
Due to regulatory requirements, benefits and rates vary in certain states and provinces. The information contained on this material is for illustrative purposes only and is not a contract. It is intended to provide a general overview of plan coverage; only a plan contract can give actual terms, coverage, amounts, conditions and exclusions.
Phone Consultation: Nevada residents limited to 50 hours of telephone consultation per year.
Letters and Phone Calls: A letter or phone call per subject matter is available if advisable in your Provider Law Firm's sole discretion.
Contract and Document Review: Nevada residents limited to 5 personal legal documents reviewed per year.
Will Preparation: Trust preparation is available at a 25% discount. A standard Will with yearly updates provided for the primary member at no additional cost. Covered family members can also have their Will prepared for $20 each, with yearly updates for only $20.
Motor Vehicle Legal Services: These services are available 15 days after enrollment. Representation under this benefit is provided when the member has a valid driver's license and is driving a properly licensed motor vehicle. Any fines and court costs are the member's expense. Pre-existing conditions, charges of DUI/DWI related matters, drug-related matters, hit-and-run related charges, leaving the scene of an accident, and unmeritorious cases are excluded. Commercial vehicles with more than two axles are not covered. These services are limited to two and one-half (2-1/2) hours of lawyer time per claim and do not include the filing of a lawsuit and exclude personal injury and property claims that exceed $2,000. However, you may receive a 25% discount and consult with your Provider Law Firm under the toll-free consultation benefit for any exclusions under this benefit.
Trial Defense Services: This coverage applies only to the named member and spouse. Divorce, separation, annulment, child custody or other divorce-related matters, bankruptcy, charges of DUI/DWI, drug-related matters (whether prescribed or not), hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident and civil or criminal charges occurring as a result of operating a commercial vehicles with more than two axles are not covered under this benefit, but are covered by the preferred member discount. Additional exclusions under this benefit: Being named in a civil lawsuit or having criminal charged filed against you because you are listed as an owner, management or associate of the business and you had no direct involvement with the act or matter that gave rise to the lawsuit or criminal charge. Those charges are covered with your preferred member discount. If the lawsuit was filed because of something that occurred prior to your membership or because of conditions that were reasonably anticipated or foreseeable prior to your enrollment, then the lawsuit is excluded from your Trial Defense benefit.This exclusion applies even if the lawsuit is filed after you become a member. These lawsuits are covered with your preferred member discount. Class actions, interventions or amicus curiae filings in which the covered member is a party (or potential party) are excluded. Also, this coverage does not include garnishment, attachment or any other appeal. Your Provider Law Firm has the right to determine whether or not your claim or defense to a matter will prevail in court or is frivolous or without merit. This includes deciding whether or not to appeal any judgment or decision. Your Provider Law Firm also has the right to present your claim or defense according to their independent professional judgment. Pre-Paid Legal will not influence or attempt to modify how your Provider Law Firm provides their professional services.
IRS Audit Legal Services: Does not cover business tax returns, garnishment, attachment or any other appeal, class actions, interventions or amicus curiae filings, charges of tax fraud or income tax evasions, Trust returns, payroll and information returns, partnerships, corporation returns or portions thereof that are included in the member's tax returns, pre-existing conditions - where member has been notified by the IRS prior to enrollment, and services rendered by an enrolled agent. Coverage includes the return due on April 15th of the first membership year.
Preferred Member Discount: Depending on your legal needs, a retainer may be required by your Provider Law Firm prior to services being rendered under this discount. Your Provider Law Firm is responsible for determining the amount of the retainer and any other anticipated costs. Other costs you may incur include fines, court costs, penalties, expert witness fees, bonds, bail bonds, and any out-of-pocket expenses. These costs are your responsibility and are not included as part of membership benefits. Your Provider Law Firm cannot provide any legal services until payment of the retainer and other costs have been made. If you need representation in court, you must notify your Provider Law Firm at least five business days in advance so they may prepare for your case.
Business Opportunity- There are 3 ways to make money with PrePaid Legal:
Market a Pre-Paid Legal membership and receive immediate commission income, plus ongoing compensation for all active members for as long as you are a Pre-Paid Legal Associate:
Individual Memberships (Expanded Plan and Standard Plan)
Group Memberships (Pre-Paid Legal plans as an employee benefit)
Specialty Plan Memberships (Legal Shield Rider, Business Owners Legal Solutions Plan, Home-Based Business Rider, Commercial Drivers Legal Plan, Law Officers Legal Plan, Identity Theft Shield)
Receive override commissions when others on your team enroll new Pre-Paid Legal members and train new Associates.
Receive residual compensation on your personal and organizational membership sales for as long as they stay in effect.
Identity Theft Shield
Legal Forms iPlan
Insurance and Financial
What is Pre-Paid Legal?
Pre-Paid Legal is a New York Stock Exchange company that has been providing legal service plans to North American families for over 30 years.
Our customers can access legal counsel and advice from qualified lawyers simply by calling a toll-free number.
Many other benefits are included, but even at the most basic level our plans allow you to have peace of mind, knowing that the promise of Equal Justice Under Las is a reality.
We give members access to professional legal counsel not only for traditional legal problems, but for everyday events such as buying a house or a car, creating a will, handling a problem with an insurance company, dealing with identity theft, and much more where legal review should be routine, but rarely is. These events can be among the most important events in a person's life, yet there is a tendency for them to take place without proper legal review. For Pre-Paid Legal members, access to legal counsel is only a toll-free phone call away.
Pre-Paid Legal Servicesฎ, Inc. was one of the first companies in the United States organized solely to design, underwrite and market legal expense plans. For a low monthly fee of $26 or less, the Company's legal expense plans (referred to as memberships) offer a variety of legal services in a manner similar to medical reimbursement plans or HMOs.
The Company currently provides legal services to over 1.5 million families across the U.S. and Canada. Plan benefits are delivered through a network of independent provider law firms. Members have direct, toll-free access to their provider law firm rather than having to comb through a yellow-page style directory for a referral. Provider firms are carefully selected and the quality of service is closely monitored to maintain the high standards of Pre-Paid Legal.
Our members are served by a provider law firm which has been carefully screened and selected by Pre-Paid Legal. Using the plan, members simply call their provider firm directly at the toll-free number on their membership card when they have a legal question or problem. Its really that simple. Pre-Paid Legal does all the work; no searching for a qualified lawyer, no claim forms, no worries about being able to afford a lawyer just peace of mind.
1969 July 11, 1969, Harland Stonecipher is involved in a head-on collision which results in serious legal fees. He has auto insurance to cover the damage to his car, medical insurance to cover the cost of his hospital stay, and even life insurance had the accident been fatal. But he has no coverage or protection for the legal bills that accumulate. He begins researching the industry of European legal expense plans. See the Pre-Paid Legal story for more information.
Altogether, seven in ten U.S. households (71%) report experiencing some event in the past twelve months that might have led them to hire a lawyer. The most common events are:
Real estate transactions
Mortgage refinancing
Damage to property or automobile
Creating of wills or estate plans
Inadequate health care
Moving traffic violations
Trouble with creditors
- Public Perceptions of Lawyers Consumer research findings, 2002, Published by section litigation - American Bar Association.
You are more than twice as likely to be in court than you are to be hospitalized.
- National Center for State Courts, 2002/American Hospital Association, 2002
A day in the life of an Independent Sales Associate.
This business has been designed so that ANYONE with a sincere desire for success can do it - regardless of background or experience.
What if I don't have a sales background?
This is a business about showing, not selling. Marketing Pre-Paid Legal is about sharing the membership with those you talk with every day. As a Pre-Paid Legal Independent Associate, you'll more than likely find your efforts directed more at educating and explaining the service rather than convincing people to buy something they feel they may not need.
Regardless of your background or education level, this is a business that can work for you. Pre-Paid Legal Associates come from all walks of life and professional backgrounds...
Education
Real Estate
Direct Sales
Advertising
Insurance
Accountants
Law Enforcement
Printing
Stay-at-home Parents
Postal Employees
Students
And others...
Will I receive support and training?
YES! Our Certified Field Training program is designed to give you "hands on" experience in learning how to present the membership and share the opportunity with others.
What would I actually be doing?
A number of marketing options are available to fit your lifestyle and schedule, but in a nutshell:
You show others the Pre-Paid Legal plan.
You sign them up.
You send the enrollment to the corporate office for processing.
You can get paid every day. 1
When the membership information is received, commissions are deposited into your bank account. This is not another "get rich quick" scheme. But, if you submit new business every day, you can get paid every day!
1Commissions are paid daily as membership sales are made. Daily direct deposit is available upon request. ADA
Adoption
Attorney Praise
Auto Accident
Bankruptcy
Business Related Issues
Child Custody
Child Support
Class Action
Consultation
Consumer Issues
Consumer Law
Contract Dispute
Contracts
Court
Credit Fraud
Credit Issue
Detainment
Divorce
Document Review
Drivers License
Employment Matters
Estate Questions
Family Matters
Guardianship
Health Care Directive
Identity Theft
Insurance
Investments
Labor Law
Landlord / Tenant Issues
Legal Shield
Letters
Living Trust
Living Will
Money Saved
Malpractice
Non-Profit Organization
Other
Patent
Real Estate and Construction
Representation
Revocable Trust
State Agencies
Small Claims Court
Social Security
Suspended License
Tax Issues
Telephone and Letter
Title Issue
Traffic Related Issues
Tragic Accident
Will prepaidl legal, pre-paid, free lawyer, attorney,
