Over two-thirds of Americans (69%) say they would use online legal services to save money, according to an online survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of Your Lawyers Online .

Wholehearted agreement

There appears to be wholehearted agreement among Americans that legal fees today are extremely expensive, with over 9 in 10 (91 percent) agreeing, and they wish there were alternatives to traditional lawyers when dealing with small legal matters (82 percent). Younger adults are more likely to prefer alternatives, with 76 per cent of those age 18-54 against 65 per cent of those aged 55 plus. Likewise, those who have lower household incomes, with 72 per cent of those with total household income of less than $100k against 62 per cent of those with $100k or more. In respect to those who are parents, 78 per cent of those who are parents of children under 18 against 66 per cent who are not.

Lose the mystique!

Your Lawyers Online says this supports the business case for firms replacing traditional ‘fee-for-time’ models with ‘fee-for-service’ solutions that offer unbundled legal services to save users time and money, especially on small legal matters like reviewing legal documents or establishing a will. Your Lawyers Online Founder & ceo Nicole Schaefer, a family law attorney and entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon, says ‘I really think virtual law firms like Your Lawyers Online represent the future of law in a digital age where Americans are seeking efficiency and value over cumbersome and costly traditions.’ She added, ‘there is this exclusive mystique around law that keeps people without a law degree feeling mystified by the process, which is why they usually end up paying so much for legal services. We are setting out to change that by making the process more accessible to everyone.’