The Modest Means Task Force of the ABA’s Section of Litigation has just released its Handbook on Limited Scope Legal Assistance. The 155-page document appears to live up to its billing as a “soup-to-nuts” guide for the practitioner. There’s too much for me to review or digest quickly, but the Forward by Committee Chair Scott J. Atlas gives a taste of the purpose, scope and utility of the document:
The Handbook is a practical guide to providing legal services in a way that permits clients, who otherwise could not afford or would not choose to hire a lawyer, to obtain critical legal representation for discrete and important tasks in the course of resolving disputes. The Handbook discusses all aspects of limited-scope representation, including the formation and termination of the relationship, the performance of discrete tasks, and the ethical issues and procedural rules involved in this service method. It also provides valuable anecdotal experiences of limited-services practitioners. An extensive Appendix contains sample forms, pleadings, and proposed court rules. It is a “soup-to-nuts” guide for the practitioner. The Section is proud to provide this Handbook to lawyers, judges, court administrators, and bar associations. It will be an invaluable tool to bench and bar in our efforts to build a better justice system.
In addition to the pdf version linked above, a text version is available here.
- In other unbundling news, as noted by Carolyn Elefant last week, the New York Bar Association appears to be readying its recommendations for ethical rule changes and statutes that would permit unbundling to flourish in the State. According to the New York Law Journal article, “N.Y. Bar Readies Bid to ‘Unbundle’ Lawyers’ Services, by John Caher, (09-30-2003), the NYSBA Delegates is expected to act on the topic in November. ethicalEsq? supports unbundling, and is pleased to see progress in this area, which holds benefits for clients and lawyers.