In Canada, there are two main types of legal plans that can be purchased by either individuals or businesses:

• Pre-paid legal services plans, which provide a pre-determined list of legal services, and
• Legal Expense Insurance (LEI), which covers your lawyer’s fees in times of dispute. Also, most LEI policies also include unlimited legal advice by telephone.

Pre-paid legal services plans

Pre-paid legal services plans are not an insurance product. Like health care plans, legal services plans provide you with specified legal assistance and advice for a set monthly fee. Through the services of a provider law firm, plan members can access help with the most common legal issues.

Legal services plans are most often created:

• for individuals and families,
• as part of employee benefit plans,
• for small businesses, and
• for help in cases of identity theft.

There are different plans available depending on the needs of the individual or business. Costs for personal plans are in the range of $25 per month. Personal plans generally include the following types of services:

• advice on unlimited legal issues,
• letters and telephone calls to third parties,
• legal document review,
• standard Will preparation,
• residential lease agreement review, and
• Small Claims Court advice.

Small business legal services plans are in the range of $50-$100 (depending on the number of employees), and focus on the common legal requirements of most small businesses, such as:

• general legal consultation,
• designated consultation,
• contract and document review,
• debt collection assistance, and
• legal correspondence.

Get legal help

For legal advice and help, contact a business law lawyer.