Legal Services as an Employer Benefit

We are living in a time when it feels like everything is more expensive—and employee benefits are no exception. The price tag keeps rising on traditional benefits like 401(k) contributions and family medical insurance. As a result, employers are looking for attractive, affordable benefits they can offer their current and future employees. After all, a strong benefits package is a powerful recruiting and retention asset.

The good news is that high-quality, reasonably priced subscription-based legal services plans have emerged as a popular and affordable option. These plans have proven very attractive to employees and employers alike. Shea Law provides a unique, proactive estate planning-centric legal plan—the most popular legal service employees seek. We have numerous high-quality estate planners throughout Michigan, and our group benefit plan is built and backed by one of Michigan’s most trusted law firms.

What Employees Get

The primary benefit Shea Law offers employees is access to high-quality estate planning services that removes the traditional obstacles of high cost and personal motivation. Employees and their families can enjoy the protections and lasting peace of mind that come with knowing their assets and their wishes are protected to the full extent of the law. Shea Law’s experienced attorneys draft and review documents like wills, trusts, power of attorney protections, and medical directives. As a result, employees and their descendants can avoid the stress, cost, and family drama that often accompany the probate process.

In addition to expert, customized estate planning services, Shea Law offers employees access to a range of other legal services and attorney consultations—for things like litigation, traffic ticket defense, contract review, and more. In short, employees receive all the value of an on-call attorney for a modest prepaid payroll deduction.

Why These Plans Are Growing So Fast

It’s not surprising that subscription-based legal benefits appeal to so many. Statistically, 83% of legal plan members re-enroll for the next calendar year, and 93% of employers are likely to continue offering a legal plan. That popularity and value is driving big consumer demand and exponential growth in this space. In 2011, this was a $57 million business. Just a few years later, in 2016, legal plans had generated $2.6 billion in sales.

A Needed Value

The growing popularity of these plans also reflects something deeper and more significant: the urgent need for affordable legal solutions in an increasingly fraught legal landscape.

Consider these eye-opening figures. Over 15 million civil lawsuits are filed every year—one for every 12 adults in America. Annually, Americans spend $280 billion in legal service fees, a figure that represents a remarkable 2% of our total GDP and more than $800 per person every year. What’s worse, most Americans are in poor legal health. Approximately 7 out of 10 Americans face at least one legal issue every year, but only 4 out of 10 have preventative estate planning documents in place. Meanwhile, 36 million Americans have less than $1,000 in savings, and 150 million Americans have less than $500 to cover emergencies—including unexpected legal services.

As anyone who has ever had to hire a lawyer knows, the cost of those services can quickly become prohibitive at typical hourly rates. Against that backdrop, the fact that employees can save thousands on common legal services for a simple $20 paycheck deduction looks even more remarkable. Shea Law leverages technology and resource pooling to make estate planning easier and more affordable. That’s what makes it possible for us to prepare critical legal documents—which would otherwise cost thousands of dollars—at no additional cost to members.

How Does a Legal Benefits Package Work?

For employers, the only thing easier than the decision to move forward is the enrollment process itself. Once your company signs up and employees enroll, the Shea Law team takes it from there. First, educational seminars and introductory sessions help enrollees learn more about estate planning and other legal topics. Next, we contact each enrollee individually to set up the creation or review of their estate plan. Plan members then complete their estate plan online through our automated platform. Once each employee’s estate plan is created, enrollees can consult with their plan attorney if they have questions or need additional assistance. In-person consultation is always available, but only one in-person meeting is necessary to notarize the documents—either in-office or at a location of your choosing.

These subscription-model legal services aren’t just an attractive, affordable addition to a company’s benefits package. The value they add to businesses, families, and individuals also continues through the years. Shea Law’s program follows employees through key life events like marriage and children, buying or renting a home, caring for aging parents, and defending against any and all legal complications. Ultimately, lasting legal protections and generational peace of mind are the kind of benefits that are truly priceless.