REDUCING THE COSTS OF LEGAL SERVICES - POSSIBLE APPROACHES BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - A REPORT PREPARED FOR AND PRESENTED TO THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON REPRESENTATION OF CITIZEN INTERESTS...REV NOV 18, 1975

• NCJ Number: 35612
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT EXPLORES CATEGORICAL WAYS OF REDUCING THE COSTS OF LEGAL SERVICES BY SUCH MEANS AS DEREGULATION OF LEGAL SERVICES, USE OF PARAPROFESSIONALS, AND REDUCTION OF NEED FOR LEGAL SERVICES.

Abstract

THE QUESTION OF WHETHER DEREGULATION OF THE LEGAL SERVICES INDUSTRY IS A REALISTIC AND DESIRABLE MEANS OF REDUCING THE COST OF LEGAL SERVICES IS FIRST EXAMINED. POSSIBLE METHODS OF REDUCING LEGAL COSTS BY LESSENING THE NEED FOR LEGAL SERVICES ARE THEN EXPLORED. TWO SUCH METHODS ARE DISCUSSED: SIMPLIFICATION OF TRANSACTIONS SO THAT NONLAWYERS MAY EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT LEGAL TRANSACTIONS, AND CREATION OF ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION SUCH AS OMBUDSMEN AND ARBITERS. ALSO CONSIDERED ARE THE POSSIBILITIES OF REDUCING LEGAL COSTS BY REPLACING LAWYERS WITH SPECIALLY TRAINED, LOWERSALARIED PERSONNEL AND MACHINES. FINALLY, THE REPORT EXAMINES THE OPTION OF REDUCING COSTS BY ALTERING THE TRAINING OF MEMBERS OF THE BAR. IN CONCLUDING, THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF REDUCTION OF LEGAL COSTS ON THE QUALITY OF LEGAL SERVICES IS DISCUSSED.