What factors are behind the trend toward providing unbundled legal services?
The reasons for the growth of unbundled legal services are multiple and intertwined. They include:Unmet Legal Needs. Traditional methods for the delivery of legal services are often too costly for low- and moderate-income litigants, which results in these individuals either proceeding without legal representation or forgoing legal solutions to their personal problems. A 1994 American Bar Association study found that 46 percent of the moderate-income households surveyed had at least one legal need in the prior year, but less than half consulted a lawyer about the problem. Approximately 23 percent addressed the problem on their own, and 26 percent reported no action on the problem. With the exception of family law and probate, there was a high incidence of self-help outside the legal system or complete inaction in most areas of the law. These findings have been supported by subsequent studies in other jurisdictions.Trend Toward Self-Representation. In addition to the cost issue, a cultur
