LegalShield is a legal service provider that works with a network of law firms throughout the United States and Canada. The company aims to modernize legal services by offering monthly membership plans that give consumers access to qualified and experienced lawyers 24/7 for help with legal issues.
Prepaid Legal changed its name to LegalShield in September 2011.
LegalShield is not a law firm and does not employ lawyers. Instead, the company has built long-standing partnerships with law firms from every state and throughout Canada.
Instead of hiring one attorney who only practices a specific type of law, LegalShield's membership plans give you access to an entire law firm. Ensuring you are matched with an experienced attorney to handle your immediate legal needs.
This benefits consumers because you get coverage for various legal issues for one affordable monthly payment. With more traditional legal services, you pay hundreds by the hour for a lawyer who can only help with one specific problem.
LegalShield's memberships give you unlimited access to legal assistance or advice. The company offers three membership plans that provide a variety of coverage.
The Individual and Families Plan includes help with estate planning (last will and testament, power of attorney, trusts, etc.) traffic assistance, tax audit services, document reviews, etc. There are even a few add-ons such as gun owners supplement, ride share and delivery supplement, trial defense supplement, and home business supplement.
The Small Business Plan includes assistance with tax audit services, designated consultations, collection letters, etc.
The Start a Business Plan offers features such as LLC formation, business name check, collection letters, obtaining an LLC Federal Tax ID, and more.
We appreciate LegalShield offering three different plans to consumers, as it provides valuable legal information and coverage to individuals and their families, small businesses, and start-up companies.
The cost of LegalShield will depend on which type of plan you choose. A personal legal membership generally costs $29.95 a month, but the price may vary depending on where you live.
Small business plans start at $49 per month. And the start-up business plan costs $149 plus state filing fees.
The company has a 25 percent discount off your lawyer's hourly rate if you require additional legal services outside your LegalShield coverage. The average cost for independent lawyers ranges from $100 to $400, so a 25 percent discount is a good deal.
LegalShield doesn't force consumers to wait a week before they can start using their plan benefits. In most cases, you can contact your attorney as soon as your membership application is reviewed and your account is set up. The company states that this generally takes about 12 to 24 hours (or less on regular business days).
Something unique to LegalShield is the company's MEMBERPerks. Members can save up to 50 percent on big-name brands such as Verizon, Costco, and Amazon. The company website doesn't offer much more information on its perks program, so we recommend asking about this just to ensure you are receiving the full benefits of being a member.
thumb_downIf you choose to work with LegalShield, you have to be willing to give up a little bit of control.
Because of the way LegalShield operates, you do not have a say in which law firm represents you. You also don't get a say in who your lawyer will be.
LegalShield does its best to find an attorney qualified to handle your case, but it might not always be the perfect fit. You can request to work with another attorney, but you'll have to consider their availability and areas of expertise.
LegalShield offers a unique approach to helping people afford legal assistance and services.
As with most subscription services, you need to consider how often you'll be using the services. If you think you will use LegalShield's services repeatedly, it's worth it. If you only plan on using the services once in a blue moon, then a monthly subscription might not be the best choice. However, the low monthly payment and 25 percent discount off your lawyer's hourly rate may be handy in an emergency.
Legal Shield is a subscription service, and you can cancel your subscription anytime. If you find yourself in a bind, you can pay the $29.95 for the month and receive unlimited advice and access to an attorney and law firm, which could cost thousands of dollars with an independent lawyer. Once your legal issue has been resolved, you can cancel your membership.
Additionally, LegalShield not only saves you money but time. Instead of spending hours of research into reputable law firms and searching for experienced, qualified attorneys, LegalShield has done all the leg work for you. The company has partnered with over 39 law firms and employs over 900 lawyers with a vast array of expertise and experience.
Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of working with LegalShield is that you have to give up some control. With this company, you have to work with the partnered law firm in your state and one of their attorneys. You don't have a choice in which law firm represents you. Additionally, you may have to work with a different attorney from the firm on every case.
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Please don't be misled by the five-star ratings—they must be written by paid shills. I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the services provided by LegalShield Prepaid Legal Services. My experience with this company has been extremely frustrating and disappointing, to the point where I now question the legitimacy and professionalism of their services. There has to be a law against law firms committing fraud. I signed up for LegalShield with the understanding that I would receive timely and reliable legal assistance. However, this has not been the case. After paying for their services, I was assured that an attorney would contact me within four business hours. It has now been over three days, and I have yet to have any conversation with an attorney. On the first evening, I received a call from LegalShield at 9:00 PM, well after the four business hours turnaround, outside of normal business hours, and long after we had gone to bed, as we work early mornings. The next day, I reached out again and was told that I would receive a callback within four business hours. Instead of a call, I received a text message at 8:33 PM stating that an attempt had been made to contact me, but no one answered. This is simply untrue. I had my phone with me the entire day to ensure I would not miss any communication from LegalShield, yet no call was received. This experience has led me to believe that LegalShield is not a reputable company or law firm. Their failure to provide the promised services, combined with the unprofessional handling of my case, suggests that this is a company more interested in taking customers’ money than in offering genuine legal assistance. I am extremely disappointed and feel that I have been misled by this company. I am calling them tomorrow to cancel my membership and request a refund. I will also contact my credit card company to block any further charges, as I have read other reports of this company continuing to charge former customers long after they canceled their memberships.
Reply from LegalShield
Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. We would love to help you connect with your Provider Law Firm and get you the support you need. To do so, we need a bit more of your info. Please submit our Lawyer Service Concern Form at https://legalshield.typeform.com/to/pSnMnF, and a member of our team will reach out to you directly. Thank you.
star star_border star_border star_border star_borderS. Bondoc
I would give negative stars if I could. I had a lease reviewed by legal shield. A “simple commercial lease” to ensure that our business was protected before signing. As a result of using LegalShield, our business was defrauded out of over a $120,000. If you do need legal assistance, they ALWAYS refer you to a low-level attorney that is rude, lacks professionalism and empathy. Then no matter what the issue is: civil, commercial, traffic, immigration, criminal, malpractice, injury…it doesn’t matter, they will refer you to the exact same attorney (not firm, same attorney) outside of the firm you are assigned to, every single time. If you have an emergency, they’re still going to take at least 24 hours to get back to you. Then if you utilize a service that is covered by your membership, like writing a demand letter or a formal, it takes them a month or more to handle your request. You’re better off putting your money in a savings account for a retainer every month, than to use this service. Spare yourself, it is a complete joke!
Reply from LegalShield
S. Bondoc, thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We aim to provide the best customer service possible, and for our lawyers to provide members with the most successful outcome for their legal matters while adhering to the benefits provided with the membership. We hope you’ll give us another chance to show you the service we’re truly capable of providing. We would like the opportunity to investigate this further to help bring a resolution. To do so, we need a bit more of your information. Please submit our Lawyer Service Concern Form at https://legalshield.typeform.com/to/pSnMnF, and a member of our team will reach out to you directly. Thank you.
star star star star starKat Kal Mount Laurel, NJ
Name - Venkatesh Kaliappan I have used Legalshield many different issues and they solved all my problems. I am extremely satisfied with their service. I saved several thousand dollars in one attorney letter. Also they recommand attorneys and they are always available to resolve my issue. I have so much peach of mind with this company. I love Legalshield. They recommend below attorney and they always response to my case inquires ontime. The below attorney resolved several of my cases. MATTLEMAN, WEINROTH & MILLER New Jersey On the other hand I had employer sponsored ARAG legal service and their services are the worst. I paid several months monthly membership fees and all of them waste. This company is cheating and will go bankrupt. I called for help to resolve my employment issues which they said they don't offer employment related legal matter. Other instance I called for issues I was facing in setting up brokerage account which they said they can't handle or resolve any of the brokerage account matter. I called for my son license suspension matter and they opened the case and recommended attorneys. None of the attorneys were returned my calls. This company must be banned from doing the business. If I have lots of money I would buy the shares of Legalshield company and become multi millionere
1 year ago Edited May 19, 2023
Reply from LegalShield
Venkatesh, thank you for the glowing review. We are happy to hear our team is providing you with excellent service. From resolving speeding tickets and reviewing business documents to helping you prepare your Last Will and Testament, LegalShield transforms affordable legal services from a nice-to-have into a right-to-have. Thanks for being a valued member.
star star star star starBrigitte Forrey Pasadena, CA
I've been with Legal Shield when it first started as Pre-Paid Legal services and it is one of the few things I wouldn't be without! For big and small issues, I have had excellent assistance and I have never paid a dime out of pocket. If you have extenuating services then there can fees, but a milli-fraction of what it would cost to pay an attorney. We have a highly respected law firm in the Los Angeles area. Perfect, no, but darn close. The fact that even recently, I have spoken to an attorney, sent documents for her to review, and after 4 conversations, have still not been charged, is remarkable. You can use them for small issues, for questions about wills and trusts, for employee/employer issues, and even send documents up to a certain (generous) number of pages to be reviewed, like contracts, for free. You also get a Will for free and a considerable discount on living trusts. I have never run into any subject that they could not assist me with. Paying customer since 1998 (at least! Maybe longer!)
Reply from LegalShield
Brigitte, thank you for your glowing review and for being a loyal member since 1998. We couldn't agree with you more. At PPLSI, everything we do is in service of our mission to enable everyone to affordably live a just and secure life. From accessible legal advice to identity theft restoration, we are proud to empower every member to get the help they need when they need it. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We want you to know that we value your membership.
star star star star starAndrea Freeman PA
I would like to give a BIG thank you to LegalShield provider law firm Deming, Parker, Hoffman, Campbell & Daly for resolving my bank fraud issue with my bank and recouping my $18,500.00 that was taking from my account without my authorization on September 3, 2021. My bank had given me a hard time to return this money back to my account, I had exhausted all measures with filing a police report, Identity Thief, and completed all bank consumer bureaus complaints and no one could help me. I was very disappointed how my bank treated me knowing had been a loyal customer with them for 24 years and I was talked to terribly. I was introduced to Legal Shield from a friend and that was the best thing that happened regarding this matter because the law firm provided by Legal Shield was my only option left and I will be forever grateful for them getting this resolved. I hope this really help someone in the future that is going thru a situation like this. Thanks
Reply from LegalShield
Andrea, thank you for your five-star review! In a world where so much seems beyond an individual’s control, our brands, LegalShield and IDShield, empower people to defend themselves against injustice and secure their future. From accessible legal advice to identity theft restoration, we empower every member to get the help they need when they need it. Your experience shows our mission in action! Thank you for taking the time to share it with us, and thank you for being a valued member!
star star star star starZeke Cervantez Sugar Land, TX
LOL CONNS' HOMEPLUS So a Issue i had that i thought was NEVER going to get solve, LegalShield knocked it out in a week. I had an account with Conns home Plus that SHOULD of ended Dec. of 2019 because that was when my LAST auto payment Should of went thru. Now sure what happened but the Transaction failed to process. I did not know this because i Never got a email, Call, Text or no notification of the failed last payment, Long story short Conns Sent it to collections and it became a charge off on my Credit. After many attempts in calling Manager's, Supervisors, talking to countless reps in trying to resolve this issue. I wanted for them to accept my last payment and Close my account to take it off of collections they were trying to charge me $600 in late fees and what not. I told them this was there error because if i would of know i would of made the last payment no problems. But sure enough they did not care, so i called My legalShield time they wrote the letter, sent it off to conns. Poof Problem solved they went ahead and took my last payment and got the charge off removed from my credit.
Reply from LegalShield
Zeke, thank you for sharing your experience with us. You are correct; whether it’s a billing dispute with a utility company, an argument with a home contractor, or a scary audit by the IRS, problems that involve your money can create a tremendous amount of stress. With LegalShield, you can get legal advice to help you handle financial fights from a position of power. Thank you for being a valued member!
star star star star starSheryl S. Toronto, ON
For a reasonably small monthly fee, my husband and I have acess to an entire law firm that covers all areas of law. In the 6 years we have had our membership, we have saved or recouped more money than we have spent on the membership. We have had numerous employment-related contracts and documents reviewed by the Lawyers (saved $200-400 each time). They also settled a dispute with an Auto Repair Shop (saved over $500); convinced a bank to take responsibility for their clerical error (saved over $800); wrote our WIlls and POAs (saved approx. $1,000); and provided advice and peace of mind when we dealth with our insurance company following a car accident.
4 years ago Edited March 14, 2022
Reply from LegalShield
Sheryl, thank you for your review. We are happy to hear that you are finding value in your membership. With LegalShield, finding solutions to your legal issues doesn’t have to be stressful, complicated, or expensive. Thank you for being a valued member!
star star star star starRichard Verne Orlando, FL
This is a honest review no hoopla and totally unbiased . Me and my wife had the service and never used it , I even paid for speeding tickets forgetting that I had them . Well this year right before the pandemic my “ luxury “ condo that I was renting for $2300 a month ( this is slot of money in Florida ) starts leaking . I contacted the office and they promised to fix it . They did several weeks later , however the walls inside my apartment started turning green . They said it was nothing . Days later it leaked again this time worse . Several weeks went by and now the wall was black . The management office at this point wasn’t returning our emails or calls and given us the cold shoulder . We felt we rented the money out from the Tom hanks movie everything stated to go wrong in this place ; ac plumbing etc and nobody will get back to us in time . We hired a mold inspector and sure enough we had mold and we’ve had it . So I called my Legalshield provider attorney for the very first time and BAM. They wrote a letter to the management company . A few days later I got a personal call from the property manager apologizing and wanting to make amends . It was too late we had enough of them , we got our original deposit back , we had no penalties and they where willing to throw a few months rent . Legalshield is a real service , without them we couldn’t break our lease without penalty . The money we got back paid for the membership for many years over ! It works folks !
star star star star starDavid S. Shingle Springs, CA
LegalShield has saved me thou$and$ of dollars over the past 11 years. My biggest victory with them was when they helped us negotiate a mortgage loan modification and saved our house from foreclosure! I have also used the service dozens of times for my window washing business. On the extremely rare occasion that my experience was less than stellar, it only cost me the monthly membership fee. You can have a negative experience with a traditional attorney-client arrangement and it could cost you tens of thousands! And I've learned that I am not always right. Simply put, my family and I will NEVER be without our LegalShield protection plan!
star star star star starJane Berwyn, PA
Me and my family have been a member now for 4 years. It has saved me/us so much money and stress. When my kids were in college it gave me peace of mind. I personally have used my provider law firm for my divorce, contract reviews, red light traffic violation, unlimited consultations and I save money on member discounts. Most recently a letter was written over a medical dispute. I went to a foot doctor for an infection. When the bill arrived, I was charged $810 for treatment I never received. I called the office 3xs to speak to the billing assistant and only got thru once. Despite my efforts, she would not budget and insisted I had a procedure that never happen. Within weeks, I received a notice it was going to a collection agency. That is when I called my provider law firm. I spoke to my attorney and he wrote a letter on my behalf pointing out if a test was negative, xyz wasn't needed. I then received another bill and they had deducted $617 to which my lawyer sent another letter stating that in PA, the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law 73 P.S. 201-1 - 201-9.2 prohibits deceptive business practices such as this. I paid my amended bill for $193 for services rendered. Needless to say I never heard from them again nor did a collection agency come after me and ruin my good credit rating. Thank you LegalShield!
star star star star starDJCooper Muskegon, MI
I have the LegalShield member that protects me and my family in case of a legal situaution. It's better to have it, and not need it, then to need it, and not have it. I don't know who wrote this article about my Company LegalShield, Yes I am also a Associate with legalShield. So let me state some facts here. Yes we have a website that you can use for legal documents for your legal situation on your own, but what the writer of this article didn't say is you can send it to your provider Law firm and they will either correct your mistakes or notify you and walk you though it to make sure it done correctly. I hate it when someone tries to undermine the integrity of LegalShiled. People do your own reseach and get your own opinion, if you buy into everyones opinion you buy into their lifesyle. This is a great business and a awesome product that every American should have..If you have life insurance, car insurance, medical and home owner insurance. Why not have Legal insurance? Its the final piece of the puzzle. I am pretty sure that one of the four insurances you alread have you will need a attorney someday, and when you do would you rather pay between $ 19.95 to $39.95 a month which may come up to $239.40 to $479.40 a year VS $150.00 to $350.00 an hour. You do the math. I rather pay monthly and save money vs paying hourly and going broke, or working my butt off paying a lawyer who may not satisfy your legal needs. Oh by the way theres no need for a 30 day free trial period, because the membership is month to month. You can canceal whenever you want you to, but before you do that, please take advantage of the free will you get once you become a member of legalShield. It's values is around $800 to about $1500 dollars..Can you find a Law firm that will give you and your family a free will? Well we all know that nothing is free, but for $19.95 cents for a will and legal advise you can't beat that price anyway. Please don't buy into others opinions not even mine!! Do your own reseach about our company LegalShield for yourself.. Have a blessed day.
star star star star starOrion Parker Hurricane, UT
I had three different legal issues to check on in one day :/ One was for a membership to a gym only a $30 issue. The second one was for a debt collector harassing me on a 12 year old debt I paid and the third was on a document review for my concealed weapons permit. These were all everyday situations I needed some good advice on. I called Legalshield at 12:00PM and by 2:00PM that same day I had received a call back from not 1 or 2 but 3 separate attorneys that were experienced in those areas! 3 Attorneys, 3 Problems ALL resolved in less than 2 hours for only $20.00? That was diabolical! Thank you for providing such an amazing service!
star star star star starRyan Burns San Jose, CA
Insurance for your insurance! My father had a $500 deductable health insurance policy that covered everything it should have except for a $2400 ambulance ride! My father called and they said it was not covered. My father has had legalshield for over 21 years now so he was use to calling legalshield anytime he needed advice or he felt a company was not doing the right thing. In this case attornies read my dads insurance policy found out it should have been covered. Then the lawfirm fired a legal despute letter calling the insurance company out. After further research and review the company claimed they did this was a covered matter. So they saved my dad $2400 on his bill! Love this service!
star star star star starGloria N. Robinson Chicago, IL
My LegalShield law firm helped me with a $25 situation. I was visiting the great State of Arizona at the time I found out about the $25 charge that my auto insurance company had applied to my bill, because of a glitch on their website. I contacted my LegalShield Law Firm in Illinois, Evans, Lowenstein, Schimanovsky, and Moscardini. Yes, a real brick and mortar law firm in downtown Chicago. It was not out of pettiness that I contacted my LegalShield law firm; but because of the premise that it was my money, as well as the disrespectful manner that the operator handled me over the telephone. Over the years, prior to me being a LegalShield member, I have given away a lot of money and opportunities, by being “nickel and dimed” here and there by companies that I did business with. That's because those businesses know, and common sense tells you that it cost less to have someone take your $25 to $100, than to pay a law firm $250 to $500 to get it back. However, because of LegalShield, for $20 a month I can afford the advice and a telephone call, from my law firm, on my behalf. One week later, I received my check for $25 with a letter of apology from the law department of the auto insurance company. I was preparing to travel to Dallas, TX for a convention, only to find out that my identity had been compromised. As it turns out, I had dropped my bank card at a gas station in Indiana. Whoever found it was able to have a phony check deposited into my checking account. I received a letter from my bank on a Saturday telling me that my check in the amount of just under $4000 could not be verified, and to contact the bank immediately. The identity thief had purchased $100 worth of gas, and had withdrawn $500 out of my checking account. Needless to say, when I telephoned the bank, I was treated very poorly over the telephone by the bank personnel. On that Monday, I contacted my IDShield specialist Kroll. I was assigned my own investigator, who by Wednesday, had restored my identity and bank account to my pre identity theft status. When I went into the bank branch on Tuesday, I was treated like ‘Jed Clampett' on the television show ‘The Beverly Hillbillies' talking to ‘Mr. Drysdale' and ‘Ms. Jane.' I had never seen white glove service like this before. I did not even think that this identity theft service could get any better. IDShield is available around the clock 24/7/365 days a year. So, if you discover an identity breach on Saturday and/or a holiday, you can call your IDShield Kroll investigators on Saturday and/or a Holiday. Finally, one snowy Sunday in Chicago, a friend of mine was driving me home from church service. When she arrived at my street, she made a right turn and her car began to skid, causing her to hit a parked car. She was a new LegalShield Member, and it had slipped her mind. She did not have her membership card on her. However, I am a LegalShield Member too! So, I got a chance to use our “Brand New” LegalShield App on my mobile phone. I pressed the button that said “Emergency Legal Access,” and was able to put her on my phone with our Law Firm. The attorneys advised her of all of her rights—what to do and what not to do; how to handle the owner of the other car; and gave her unlimited advice on how to handle her insurance company and the auto mechanics. On Monday and Tuesday, she kept me informed about how everything was going, and how she was feeling. She said that every time something would come up, she would mention to the—police, other car owner, insurance company, the auto mechanics, and car rental agency, etc… “I have to consult with my law firm.” The people could not believe that she would consult a law firm for, what seemed to them, such small matters. She told me thank you, and that the peace of mind that LegalShield had given her was priceless. The moral to this story is to always have your LegalShield Member Card on you at all times. There is nothing like having unlimited legal advice on unlimited issues to keep you from making some costly mistakes; and to help you out with the costly mistakes you have already made. My LegalShield Membership is the Best Investment I have ever made!
