JustLegal

Choose the scope of help

Compare Ways to Get Legal Help

Understand what you’re buying, what remains your responsibility, and when a different kind of help may be needed.

Ask a Lawyer: Q&A & Quick Consultations →Document & Contract Review →Prepaid Legal Plans & Memberships →Legal Document Templates & Form Libraries →Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning →Business Formation: LLCs & Incorporations →Demand Letters & Small Claims Court →

What this does

A transparent comparison of common ways to get legal help, showing what each option costs, what it actually provides, and what it will not do. 'Unbundled' describes a scope agreement for one task; it is not the name of one company or a guaranteed service.

Need help for a specific problem? Start here →

Before you pay

Ask for the scope and total price in writing: the task, who will do it, what you receive, and whether revisions or a court appearance are included.

Price ranges & billing expectations

Costs range from $0 for court self-help and legal aid, to $25–$50 for bar consultations, $40–$80 for online written advice, $150–$350 for document review, and $3,000–$10,000+ for litigation retainers.

These are directory estimates, not quotes. Geography, complexity and provider terms change the price. A retainer may be an advance against future bills, rather than the final cost.

Compare providers & scope

Listed prices · confirm directly

Avvo Legal

$0 (Free)

Post a legal question to licensed attorneys in your state

Attorney involvement listed · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Free Public Q&A

Public question posted to Avvo's attorney board. Multiple local lawyers typically provide short written answers within 24–48 hours.

May be useful for

  • Checking whether a situation is actually a legal issue
  • Understanding general state statutory guidelines
  • Getting initial issue-spotting from multiple perspectives

Not included

  • Confidential attorney-client privilege
  • Document or contract review
  • Direct court representation or filing

Directory-listed price: $0 (Free) · Billing: one-time. Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

Your question is public and indexed by search engines. Never include real names, phone numbers, or confidential case admissions.

When another kind of help may be needed

  • contested-litigation
  • confidential-sensitive-facts
  • hearing-within-7-days
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-13. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

ABA Free Legal Answers

$0 (Free)

Confidential civil legal advice for income-qualifying individuals

Attorney involvement listed · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Pro Bono Virtual Clinic

Private online legal consultation. A licensed volunteer attorney in your state reviews your question and replies securely.

May be useful for

  • Low-income individuals who cannot afford an attorney
  • Specific civil questions about eviction notices, debts, or divorce
  • Confidential questions where public posting is unsafe

Not included

  • Criminal law issues (civil matters only)
  • Fee disputes or business commercial disputes
  • Court appearances

Directory-listed price: $0 (Free) · Billing: one-time. Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

You must pass state financial eligibility screening (generally income under 250% of federal poverty guidelines).

When another kind of help may be needed

  • income-exceeds-threshold
  • criminal-charge
  • immediate-court-deadline
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-13. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

LegalShield

$39.95 / month

Dedicated state law firm on call for advice, letters, and reviews

Attorney involvement listed · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Prepaid Law Firm Access

Unlimited phone consultations on new personal legal matters, document review up to 15 pages per document, and attorney-written demand letters or phone calls to third parties.

May be useful for

  • Sending a formal attorney demand letter to a stubborn landlord or contractor
  • Reviewing a lease, severance agreement, or loan contract before signing
  • Having an actual law firm to call when legal questions arise

Not included

  • Pre-existing lawsuits filed before joining
  • Courtroom representation in the base plan (offered at 25% discount off hourly rates)
  • Business or commercial litigation

Directory-listed price: $39.95 / month · Billing: month. Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

Cancel anytime before your next monthly renewal date. Demand letters require the assigned attorney's professional judgment.

When another kind of help may be needed

  • lawsuit-already-filed-against-you
  • contested-trial-next-week
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-13. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

Rocket Lawyer

$39.99 / mo (or $149–$349/yr)

Unlimited customizable documents plus written attorney questions

Attorney involvement listed · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Documents + Legal Advice

Full document template library with electronic signature, 12 to 36 written attorney answers per year, and 30-minute consultations on new legal matters.

May be useful for

  • Users who need to generate multiple contracts, leases, or business agreements
  • Small landlords, freelancers, or independent contractors
  • Getting occasional attorney questions answered in writing

Not included

  • Court filing or representation of record
  • Ongoing litigation defense on a single matter
  • Complex custom contract drafting from scratch

Directory-listed price: $39.99 / mo (or $149–$349/yr) · Billing: month. Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

7-day free trial auto-renews at $39.99/mo unless cancelled. Consultations cover NEW legal matters only.

When another kind of help may be needed

  • ongoing-court-trial
  • multi-party-litigation
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-13. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

UpCounsel

$150–$350 / hr (or fixed task quotes)

Post your document to receive competitive bids from vetted attorneys

Attorney involvement listed · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Attorney Project Marketplace

Post your specific document (e.g. lease, settlement offer, severance agreement, complaint). Independent attorneys review the scope and submit fixed or hourly bids.

May be useful for

  • Having an actual attorney redline a 10-to-25-page document
  • Getting custom revisions tailored to your state law
  • Comparing attorney backgrounds and quotes before hiring

Not included

  • Immediate free answers (this is a paid attorney marketplace)
  • Trial representation unless agreed in the project scope

Directory-listed price: $150–$350 / hr (or fixed task quotes). Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

You agree directly on the price with the attorney you choose. Funds are held in escrow until work is delivered.

When another kind of help may be needed

  • court-deadline-under-24-hours
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-13. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

Access Legal

No public consumer price listed

Explore an attorney network for a defined legal task

Not a substitute for attorney advice · No court appearance included
Scope, costs & limitations

Service: Attorney network / limited-scope inquiry

Access Legal presents an attorney-network and client-generation model. Ask whether a participating lawyer can help with a defined task in your jurisdiction; that lawyer sets eligibility, scope and fees.

May be useful for

  • Starting a conversation about one defined legal task
  • Asking a participating attorney about document review or a hearing
  • Comparing a limited task with full representation

Not included

  • A public fixed price or guaranteed attorney match
  • A promise of court appearance or an attorney-client relationship
  • Ongoing case management unless a lawyer separately agrees to it

Directory-listed price: No public consumer price listed · Billing: one-time. Confirm the current price, eligibility and scope directly.

This link goes to Access Legal's attorney-network site. It is not a checkout for a guaranteed unbundled service. Confirm who will contact you, conflicts screening, scope, fees and what information is safe to share before agreeing to anything.

When another kind of help may be needed

  • urgent-hearing
  • need-guaranteed-representation
Directory check recorded: 2026-09-23. This is not a live quote or an endorsement.
Visit website

Make an informed choice

Advantages
  • Allows you to buy only the specific piece of legal help you need
  • Saves thousands of dollars on non-contested or straightforward matters
  • Keeps you in control of your case while getting professional reinforcement
Limitations
  • Unbundled services mean you still handle filing, serving, and following court deadlines
  • Requires honest self-assessment: if the opposing party is combative, limited tools may fall short
Billing & other things to check
  • Never confuse a 'free directory' or 'form website' with an actual attorney-client relationship
  • A referral or attorney network may introduce you to a lawyer, but the lawyer separately sets scope, conflicts, eligibility and fees
  • Watch for monthly auto-renewals on trial services
  • Retainers are advance deposits against hourly billing, not a flat cap on total fees
Questions to ask before agreeing
  • Is this consultation or review covered under attorney-client privilege?
  • Does the price include reading my evidence before our conversation?
  • If I need further work, what is your hourly rate and will this fee be credited toward it?
When to ask about representation
  • A court hearing or trial is scheduled within 7 days
  • You are facing criminal charges with potential jail time
  • The opposing party has an aggressive trial lawyer and custody or your home is at stake
Free tools & other routes

Handle it yourself for $0 using official state court forms, JustLegal's Case Timeline, and our PDF Exhibit Workbench.

Explore court & self-help tools →

For legal aid or referrals, choose your state from Find legal help.

JustLegal provides free educational information and organization tools. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice or representation. Providers decide eligibility, availability, fees, and whether to accept a matter.