Why did Prepaid Legal become Legal Shield?
Prepaid Legal was a MLM company founded in 1983 by Harland Stonecipher (no that’s not a made up name). So the story goes,
way back in 1969 Stonecipher was in a car accident.
Frustrated at the lack of legal insurance options available at the time, Stonecipher started up ‘The Sportsman’s Motor Club’ in 1972 offering members ‘legal expense reimbursement services‘.
The Sportsman’s Motor Club continued on for 11 years relying on a traditional sales model before adopting a MLM style business model and compensation plan in 1983. PrePaid Legal was born.
In 1984 PrePaid Legal went public on the NASDAQ National Market System and in 1999 it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, where it remained until 2011.
In January 2011 PrePaid Legal and MidOcean Partners got together and agreed upon the sale of PrePaid Legal to MidOcean Partners, a private equity firm.
The deal between PrePaid Legal and MidOcean Partners and PrePaid Legal was finalised in June 2011 and the company handed over.
In July 2011 PrePaid Legal applied for a Termination of Registration of a Class of Security, which is an application for ‘exceptions to the normal filing requirements for registering a security with the SEC’ (Investopedia). I believe this resulted in the pulling of PrePaid Legal from the stock exchange, being owned by MidOcean Partners it was no longer publicly traded.
Finally in September 2011 MidOcean Partners announced that they would be rebranding PrePaid Legal as Legal Shield and currently that’s where we sit today.
My question: Why the name change?
Part of the reason for the sale by StoneCipher could very well be the negative trend in PrePaid Legal memberships,
For the year 2010, new sales associates enrolled decreased 25.6% to 138,442 compared to 186,064 enrolled during 2009 while new memberships produced were 502,982, a decrease of 11.5% from 568,095.
Our active memberships decreased 4.8% during 2010 from 1,547,585 to 1,473,237. From the 3rd quarter of 2010 to the 4th quarter of 2010, our active memberships decreased by 19,896 memberships.
Or after finally paying off the PrePaid Legal’s debt in December 2010, perhaps Stonecipher had just had enough of MLM. Who knows.
One particular point of interest is that in the PrePaid Legal compensation plan, the company paid its members an ‘advanced commission’ on a 12 month membership subscription. If the member cancelled their subscription, PrePaid Legal associates had to pay part of the commission paid out to them back to the company.
As you can imagine these chargebacks must have been quite stressful and potentially devastating to the PrePaid Legal memberbase. Especially when we’re talking 74,000+ memberships being cancelled in 2010 alone.
Who knows what the numbers are for this year.
As far as I can see, apart from the name change to Legal Shield, nothing else has changed regarding the MLM side of PrePaid Legal. It still costs $249 to become an Legal Shield of the company and the plans offered look pretty much the same (there might be some technical differences but what is offered to members looks untouched).
It is noted that the company currently does not provide a publicly viewable compensation plan on the Legal Shield website. As far as MLM companies go this is a huge red flag as a compensation plan is a pretty big deciding factor when considering a MLM opportunity.
Despite PrePaid Legal sending out a ‘Compensation Plan Survey’ to its members and then MidOcean Operating Executive Rip Mason (now CEO of Legal Shield, photo right), outlining ‘the need to secure Plan stability and decrease promotional/incentive activity to support the Field and position the Company for long term growth‘ in February 2011, as of yet nine months later nothing has materialized.
Legal Shield has the same legal plans, same compensation plan and with it come the same concerns I highlighted in the conclusion of my original review of PrePaid Legal.
If I didn’t know any better I’d say MidOcean were simply rebranding and distancing themselves from PrePaid legal’s forty-year history as a brand. Legal Shield isn’t publicly traded so why tarnish it with the negative trending track record of PrePaid Legal.
Thoughts?
If anything does materialize in the form of actual changes to the Legal Shield MLM opportunity I’ll of course give the company a new complete review. Until then though you might as well just rely on my PrePaid Legal review and simply substitute ‘PrePaid Legal’ for ‘Legal Shield’.
Legal Shield – New owners, new brand, same business model.
Come on guys, this is the age of internet MLM marketing – you can’t just erase the past of a company with just a simple name change…
The current cost of becoming an associate with Legal Shield is $149.00, not $249.00.
Currently yes, but I believe it’s a ‘limited time offer’ is it not?
No, it is not a “limited time offer”.
My friend has been in PPD for a long time. It is always a limited time offer. LOL Dont sign up. It is a pyramid scheme and I think the reason Stoneciepher sold it could possibly be linked to a panzi operation.
My experience with LegalShield previously called Prepaid Legal when I joined, has been Terrible. Here is an email I just sent the SOBs and a video that I made regarding my experience.
memberservices@legalshield.com
Yesterday, after being AGAIN promised that the email form would be sent right away, I told the CS rep that IF I Did Not Receive the email form by evening (on 1-12-2012), that I Would be making a VIDEO REVIEW of LegalShield, AKA Prepaid Legal and Posting on YouTube.
No email, just like the last 3 or more time that I contacted you people. So, being a Man Of My Word, HERE IS THE LINK TO THE VIDEO, ENJOY AND I SINCERELY HOPE IT COSTS YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
Thanks,
Rufus
The name was changed for marketing reasons. The new owners test marketed 150 names and LegalShield came out as the best name (Pre-Paid Legal was included but people did not like the idea of “pre-paying”.)
Someone please explain to me why MidOcean partners bought Pre-Paid Legal Services for $655 MILLION if it is not a sound business. Go to midoceanpartners.com and see the other companies they have purchased.
MidOcean bought Pre-Paid Legal because it is a concept that works (80% of Germans and Swiss have a similar program).
The concept has been around for 40 years – tell me how that is not working? Watch for the TV commercials! And remember when you listened to people who didn’t know what they were talking about!
So people don’t like the idea of pre-paying… yet that’s exactly the business Legal Shield are in, “pre-paid legal services”. And after offering up the idea that people don’t like pre-paying, you’re going to then tell me that “it is a sound business”.
Sorry but Mid Ocean buying the company doesn’t inspire confidence in a business model in itself.
Prepaid legal services might, but combining it with a MLM compensation plan hasn’t. Charging back commissions from your members upon account cancellation makes it very hard for members to plan for the future. and manage their business. Commissions paid today could very well become debts tommorow.
Did you even read the article?
74,000+ membership accounts (customers, not distributors) were cancelled in 2010 alone – that’s a hell of a lot of ‘you now owe us money’ commission paybacks.
Commission CLAW-backs. 🙂 Much like the court guy going after Madoff beneficiaries’ assets. 😀
I’ve been a PPL customer (now Legal Shield) for nearly 10 years. Although I’ve let it “run out” a few times, I always go back.
They write letters on my behalf, they’ve helped me save hundreds of dollars on goods and services issues, and they really provide a great service.
No issues. None.
@Chad
It was nice of you to write a positive review about your own experience, to balance one of the previous posts here.
We are mostly reviewing these programs as business opportunities, but I will consider the customer’s viewpoints to be important in any business. My definition of a customer is one who is primarily interested in the products or services, not in the income opportunity.
People complain about charge backs so much and they don’t seem to understand what the company is actually doing. When you make a sale, you get an up-front commission.
The company is paying you for a year’s long membership. If the person cancels before the year is up, the company is missing the rest of the revenue from the membership. Insurance companies pay their agents the same way.
When you sign up as an associate, you can opt to do an as-earned commission. This means that you don’t receive the up-front commission. You receive commission on what has been paid. If someone cancels, you don’t have any chargebacks.
It is a slow way to build the business, but it is the safest. The company does reward retention as well. Many times, associates who have lots of chargebacks, are not selling the membership properly or to the right person. They do not receive bonuses or earn trips.
The “as-earned” commission was not mentioned in Legal Shield’s compensation plan. Good to see they’re offering it but it still doesn’t change or mitigate the huge risk an affiliate is taking when accepting an annual commission pegged to membership subscription whose renewal they have no control over.
If there is a mlm that has a subscription, product, or service renewal that you are able to have control of, please share. I’ll sign up right now.
I think the core issue of this business is that the membership isn’t valuable to someone, unless you use it. This is symptomatic of every mlm/network marketing company. Any product on auto-ship that is not used consistently will be cancelled.
There are ways to combat cancellations. Newsletters, contact with your downline. Legal shield struggles with these things because they can’t really do much more to their products. They aren’t able to come up with new products every 3-6 months to get their associates excited.
This product really is meant fore salesmen/saleswomen to sell. Probably the largest issue Legal shield has is that it has to be regulated by each state. There are some states that you need to be licensed in to sell.
Most Legal Shield reps tell you that you can build a downline in most states, but neglect to say anything about that. That is not the company’s fault that they have some people that pitch the opportunity and don’t disclose things like that.
Because of some abuses in the past with the internet and fraud on the part of shady associates, they limit how many associates you can sign up on line. That is another problem. When you compare some of the drawbacks to other companies that you can sign up unlimited people online, that most products are ok to sell without a license and there is actually something that can be consumed, most people will look elsewhere.
It is easier to build a business elsewhere, unless you have to use the membership. I love Legal Shield. I think it is a great company. You can build a solid business with them, but people you sign up will drop out.
There is no magic solution. This opportunity requires sales and target marketing and activity. It also requires a lot of contact between you and your downline.
It does bother me that the as-earned commissions are not advertised or explained. Most people will sign up for the up-front commissions, because you want lots of money now. So as you can see, this looks more like a business that runs like an insurance agency than an actual mlm.
When the hell was I going to be told about this? It’s September 12, 2012.
I guess it is more about a money machine than a legal machine? I’m afraid to do any further research.
In May 2011, a Sarbannes-Oxley complaint was filed against PPL (Ref. SOX #9-3290-11-053, San Francisco office of U.S.DOL, Attn: Fed. Investigator S. Kamlet) alleging that up to 40% of PPL membership sales were based on fraudulent representations by sales associates to collect those generous commission advances.
Shortly after, it appears PPL changed the name to Legal Shield. Shortly after that, PPL heavy hitters (like Smith) started leaving the company. The SOX investigation continues.
Not hard to figure out, unless you continue drinking the kool-aid.
Ok iv had the membership for 9 years and would never be dumb enough to cancel.
Why would I not cancel you ask? Very simple my rights are important to me and just like the wealthy protect themselves I’m doing the same thing. If your rights and family rights arnt important to you then a LegalShield membership is nothing you need.
As far as the business goes I sell memberships from time to time but unless your a good salesman and willing to do group sales your not going to make much money.
This business is not duplicatable and I wouldn’t recommend joining unless your good at sales and have plenty of time to put into it.
So again the membership is great and everyone needs it. I’m 29 and have used it for tons of things.
I worked in the legal field for years and I can tell you for a fact that any kind of “prepaid legal” service is unnecessary and can ultimately cost you a lot more money than just visiting a local attorney for your needs.
Put it this way… if you get arrested and you have one phonecall -DO NOT CALL your prepaid legal service because they will not bail you out. It is ill-advised to use anything other than a local attorney.
Most attorneys will give you better advise for FREE than a prepaid legal service representative. They are in the business of selling their product to make their money, not in giving you representation when you eventually do need legal assistance.
The people selling you their “memberships” aren’t even attorneys… they are other people who have been duped into purchasing the membership to the prepaid legal scam themselves.
This blog is misleading and inaccurate. I’ve been a LegalShield (formerly PrePaid Legal) member continuously since the mid-80s and have used the legal services provided through the membership on average of 12 times a month, especially since PPL/LegalShield moved to a “Capitated” approach using Provider Firms.
Only once or twice have I run into any difficulty or disappointment in the legal services and/or advice provided. The firms are chosen based on a “closed panel” system and must meet AV Preeminent® rating in Martindale [martindale.com/Products_and_Services/Peer_Review_Ratings.aspx] in addition to other proprietary standards established by LegalShield.
“Capitation” is the system often used in the provision of mental health, substance abuse and medical services whereby a provider, whether a hospital or a physician practice, social work or counseling practice is offered a flat monthly rate for each patient enrolled in its catchment area (region) on the specific plan or group, regardless of whether the patients see the healthcare provider or not in a given month or how often.
I am a former health professional with a background in both direct patient care in both institutional and private practice settings. I’ve also got an extensive background in Managed Care where I worked extensively in Utilization Review for one of the nation’s largest health managed care administrators serving hundreds of insurance companies which offer mental health, psychiatric and substance abuse services.
I was a PrePaid Legal Associate back in the “old days” because I found the service (product) so wonderful as a consumer, however I found the MLM approach to marketing distasteful. (I am NOT,in general, a believer in any MLM marketing approaches regardless of the product or service being offered.) I eventually went “inactive”.
Recently, after a great deal of research, I returned as an Associate and I am pleased that I did. In many states, including mine, the legal service plans offered by LegalShield are considered, correctly, insurance.
The “Associates” are considered “Producers”, what laypeople would call “insurance agents” and, in order to sell certain products and services in the states that require a license, and are regulated by the State’s Department of Insurance or Insurance Commissioner.
Affiliates are expected to follow most or all of the same rules as any other “producer” of traditional insurance products — home, auto, life, casualty, medical, etc., and to take and successfully pass exams as required by the State of residence or other non-resident licensed insurance “producers” (agents).
This is a good thing both in terms of consumer protection and credibility.
Regarding the compensation plan, my understanding from other insurance “producers” (agents) in more traditional insurance is that the approach is very similar to that used by traditional insurance companies like American Family,Allstate and State Farm, etc. with their independent “producers” (agents).
This isn’t listed on their sites either, but if one applies to be an agent representing one of these companies or operates as a “broker” representing many companies, he or she certainly knows the compensation package. Those in the General Public generally do not, nor should we necessarily.
I know some LegalShield Associates, friends snd colleagues, who also hold licenses to sell traditional insurance products — health, life, property and casualty and auto, etc.) and offer the LegalShield product as one of their offerings as a “broker”.
One can, and many do, make a decent living selling the LegalShield Legal Services Insurance products, but a lot of training is involved (just like other insurance products) and it is no easier than being an insurance agent in any other traditional line of insurance products. It is not something for everyone, but neither is selling the traditional lines of insurance.
I’ve never heard anyone in the current system claim that this is an easy, little work, get rich quick approach. It is not, but neither is selling the other, traditional lines of insurance.
Those who understand this and understand what exactly we’re doing can do quite well. Those who do not or cannot put the commitment in will probably leave the Associates’ program, just as many people who are licensed to sell various other lines of insurance eventually move on to other careers.
This is something to think about long and hard before considering becoming an “Associate” with LegalShield.
The article is mostly about the name change / ownership change from “Prepaid Legal” to “Legal Shield”, not about your user experience.
You’re probably referring to some of the comments here? “Other users’ experiences are inaccurate and misleading, my user experience is the only accurate and correct one”. A statement like that will clearly show some contact with the reality.
Which part? As you failed to name the part I fail to see what’s your point, other than some long-winded rant about how “you don’t understand how we work”.
How PPL work is simple: MLM selling legal services from real lawyers (provided by third-party). So? What’s inaccurate and misleading? Do you know why the name change? How did you know? Come on…
I was not addressing, entirely, the user comments here as these can vary from person to person whether as “associates” (which other insurance companies would commonly call “agents”)or as the “insured”, but factual information is factual information and opinions are just that.
In the process, I may also have addressed inaccurate statements made by some of the comments made by others.
I was addressing comments made in the initial posting by the blogger. Several of these are definitely inaccurate including the incorrect comment that
Not true, the fee is $149 which is NOT a special price. It is the normal price.
Had that been the author’s only error, it would have been easily addressed, but the author continues:
This isn’t true on several levels. The Compensation Plan for Associates has changed from the Compensation Plan that was offered to Associates in the “old days”, which I remember because I **was** an Associate in those “old days” and there were serious problems (from an Associate’s perspective).
The Compensation Plan as it currently exists is fairly typical of those offered by traditional insurance companies (as I noted above).
To give the blogger some credit, the changes in Compensation may not have been completed at the time of his posting, but as with many things on Internet sites, has not been updated to reflect the current reality.
But, to compound the inaccuracies, the blogger states:
The Legal Plans offered to clients are very similar to those in the recent history (post-Retainer Firm), with some minor changes, rather than the really old days when the practice of Retainer Firms did not yet exist at Pre-Paid Legal.
In addition, the various Titles (Sections) in the current Legal Plans are regulated in the States where examination and licensing is required, where PrePaid Legal Causality, Inc. operates as an actual insurance company / insurer under the jurisdiction of the State Department (or Commissioner) of Insurance.
The new ID Protect Product, offered in conjunction with Kroll Security Solutions, is an additional product (not regulated by the Department or Commissioner of Insurance and Legal Shield continues to develop additional specialty legal insurance lines and products.
In reality, the capitation model allows the business model to work and reduces fraud against the company. There are now other “Prepaid Legal Plans” on the market, but LegalShield is the only one I am aware of that offers an extensive Retainer Law Firm Network.
Regarding the current Compensation Plan, we’ve been told by a trainer that additional tweaks are coming this summer (2013), but I cannot confirm the accuracy of her comments.
The author compounds his inaccuracies by referencing his original review because many of the author’s source articles were not from objective news sources, as one or more people commented in response to his original posting, but from fringe or biased sources.
A fact one of my friends an investigative journalist with a major broadcast network, has also pointed out and is misleading because the PrePaid Legal had either won the cases he cited or they had been dismissed by the Courts, something the blogger failed to mention.
Perhaps the blogger doesn’t know any better. LOL The acquisition by MidOcean is fairly recent in corporate terms and changes are still afoot. Changes take time and internally these may develop into a stronger company with a better environment for the Associates. Only time will tell, but at this point, many Associates see these changes so far as positive.
Now I’ll jump into the area of editorial with a reflection that, since LegalShield is seen as insurance in sixteen states that require a license and one Canadian province and acts like most traditional insurance companies in how compensation is handled.
I’d prefer to see them judison the MLM label all together and rename “Associates” “Agents” because the model is different than most MLM programs, the products and services different and for those who find MLM a “bad word” with a poor history of consumer protection and lots of scandals.
For those who believe strongly in other MLM programs, you might have your expectations dashed. If on the other hand, you come from the Insurance industry, you might be comfortable with the Compensation issues and other associate related issues that some raise in blogs like this.
Just a comment to Rufus who posted the video on YouTube — and yes I did say that without apology. If you had read the terms of your contract, which EVERYONE SHOULD DO, you would have discovered that the plan does not offer to file lawsuits on client’s behalf at no charge because of damage to something like a windshield which you bitched about in your video.
That falls, clearly, under Title V: “All Other Legal Work”. The Attorney did write a letter on your behalf, something you admit in your video, although you didn’t like the outcome.
You were not being the one sued, so Title III, The Trial Defense Benefit, does not apply and your contract clearly spells that out.
Regarding your wife’s ticket for smoking diesel, that’s not a MOVING VIOLATION in the sense that Title II, Motor Vehicle Related Benefits is speaking.
The Terms of that section are extremely clear had you bothered to read them and understand them and it does provide extensive coverage in certain situations as outlined.
As a member, I’ve used these benefits appropriately and effectively, but I don’t reasonably expect the Attorney to provide free services beyond the scope of the Terms.
Finally, regarding your problems with cancellation. You left your viewers that email is the only way one can cancel. Not true and not difficult. Email, for a number of reasons can fail beyond human control and just because you get some email from a company doesn’t mean that all email goes through the same servers regardless of what the “sender” address implies.
LegalShield offers a number of approaches to cancel. You could have selected the more secure way of doing it — mail, it’s an option.
Good old fashioned mail sent from the Corporate Offices to you or you could have sent a signed letter to the appropriate department. Signatures are required for client safety and appropriateness.
You could have contacted the Associate who signed you up for assistance, assuming that he or she is doing her/his job.
Finally, if all else did not satisfy you — “King Baby” — you could have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, which gives PrePaid Legal / LegalShield an A+ rating.
Ding ding ding. The date of publication of this article is clearly presented at the top of the page for anyone to view.
If Legal Shield has since changed their compensation plan that’s hardly on me. I welcome corrections via reader comments but I can’t personally keep track of every single one of the hundreds (soon to be over a thousand) companies featured on BehindMLM.
That sounds like marketing waffle. I’m going to stick with they wanted to distance themselves from the name “Prepaid Legal”.
You mean “sources you don’t agree with”.
Here’s a tissue. Facts are facts.
And feel free to provide documentation about those cases, vaguely citing some friend is just wasting everybody’s time.
I haven’t looked back at Legal Shield since I wrote this article. And if compensation plan changes are “coming soon” then it’s probably best I wait for them.
Till then the concerns in both this article and the previous Prepaid Legal Shield review stand.
You’re welcome to approach the article from an insurance perspective but that’s irrelevant to us here. We’re focused on the MLM side of things.
If, as you suggest, Legal Shield aren’t serious about their MLM business they should ditch it and become a fully-fledged insurance company. Otherwise you cannot just dismiss analysis of the MLM side of the business just because you’re insurance orientated.
Hit me up when those compensation plan changes go through and I’ll review the business again.
Of course, Pre-Paid Legal and Legal Shield are valid business models– for the company. You can do very well selling a pre-paid subscription service, such as this, and you keep that money by refusing to perform those services when it will cost you more than you’re willing to pay.
As someone once said (it’s been attributed to several people) “There’s a sucker born very minute,” and technically there are 8 born every minute in the US alone.
They don’t need to satisfy all of their customers. From their business standpoint, it would be better to lose the customer than defend some of the cases that come up. They’re looking out for their own profit, not your legal needs.
The $149.00 fee is not a special price. They market it at 249.00 just to get you into the meeting and then they drop the price to 149.00 to draw you in making you believe it is a limited time offer.
It is a sales tactic, they make money off of you. They will always pitch the “limited time” offer to lure in anybody they can.
$149 is the current, posted price to become an associate. There was a $99 special in June and not in July.
Recently there is a new promotion, but it is in the form of a partial refund of the 149 if an associate starts working effectively soon after they join. It isnt a particularly enticing offer to me, but I joined already (for $149).
I think they changed the name because PrePaid Legal sounds really low rent. My husband was defended in a 7 year long lawsuit by LS. He won. Cost him nothing.
I think the issues are generally that people are often mis-informed of what the service is and is not. I think there should be more complete, free training REQUIRED of new associates.
None of it is difficult, but they should be required to prove they KNOW the product. They aren’t just selling lipstick or kitche gadgets! I like LS.
The MLM opportunity in LS is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it allows average people from any background to earn income offering services that are valulable to consumers.
A curse because some individuals get involved just for the money and not the value of the service, thus causing some individuals to focus more on enrolling a member fast rather than really educating them on the service and how it works, which in turn causes cancellations from disgruntled consumers.
(No one likes to be told one thing and find out something different after they’ve dished out hard earned money. The blame falls back to the greedy associate, not the company or the consumer.)
In most MLM companies the products exist only because there is an opportunity to make $$. With LS the opportunity exists because of the value of the product.
I use my membership every chance I get, questions and advice (why ask friends or peers about the law when I can ask an attorney.) Sometimes I don’t get the response I was hoping for, (the law is the law) but I have always left the conversation more informed.
I’ve had lawyers go to traffic court in other states on my behalf getting fines reduced and points removed. After receiving a letter from my attorney a local dealership installed a brand new transmission in my 2003 Tahoe, the labor was free saving me around $1,600.00.
I’ve also had negative experiences as well, all of which was resolved just by informing the Home Office and/or requesting a different attorney. I pay around $200 a year for my membership so it basically paid for itself for the next 8 years.
For anyone researching LegalShield just know that numerous attorney generals, Chamber of Commerce members and very high caliber individuals fully endorse, support and are members themselves.
(Ozedit: vague reference to YouTube removed)
In conclusion, with any product or service, MLM or otherwise, consumers should know what they are buying.
If all I could do was pick up the phone and talk to an attorney just to ask questions and get advice on an unlimited basis it would still be well worth the $17 dollars a month I pay.
In the end you either have access to the legal system or you don’t. If you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any.
(Ozedit: This site is not a dump for spammy YouTube marketing videos)
LS is BS. Fact! They sell an insurance product. They have no benefit in AZ, AK,NY, & WA. They don’t cover pre-existing issues. Their cheapest weakest product is 375% higher then their competitor. Their competitor has way better coverage and discounts. Way more contracted attorneys available.
The competitor is a true provider of Group Legal.
Ls pushers need a license to sell the garbage in some states.
After reviewing your comments, there are some facts and a lot of confusion.
First , a product is only as good as the person who tells you about it. Most of your angry comments are just that. You are angry at the the person who cheated you in some way with the LS product. Understandable. But to say this is not a good product is short sighted.
Second, the business investment is 149.00. The other stuff ($249 vs 149 special) again is bad salesmanship. There was a special $99.00 cost that was run from June to November 2013 then the cost reverted back to the $149.00.
Third, every legal issue is not about car accidents, jail, etc… And the cost of retaining any lawyer for any reason outside of prepaid is no way comparably cheaper. Unless they are a relative. Look every insurance product has it’s drawbacks and perks.
Over zealous salesman have always giving bad feelings about useful products, because of the few bad ones being sold. However, if you have car, dental, medical, house etc…insurance, why not have a legal benefit to help deal with simple issues of everyday life?
We became a pre-paid customers yrs ago and loved it so much that we became associates. It’s helped us so much I couldn’t imagine being without it. Our only regret is we never met Harland or Dave.
I have been a member since 1985, This has saved me a bundle of money for example — We were notified that are precious grandaughter was about to be shipped out to foster care in that state. What did we do?
We called our local (Los Angeles) law group on a Monday and had an attorney in Pine Bluff Ark. that afternoon. At 75 dollars per hour. Saved us a fortune to say the lease.
Those of you who are nasayers need to get a life and step up and protect you and yours with this mighty product.
We have saved additional money over the years with some of our goofy neighbors.
In the Netherlands, services similar to PPL are available for a few Euros a month and are called insurance options and can be purchased from any bank like ABN Amro or ING or Rabobank.
The concept is sound as long as the service delivery meets the expectations set.
Harland Stonecipher was a typical MLM goof with his pitches to crowds hoping to make money recruiting more distributors/associates and selling a prepaid legal service and a mighty Legal Shield Card.
Harland even spent most of his speech at one of those associate shindigs talking about the pledge of allegiance. After the speech, the associates/zombies gave him thunderous applause. He could have read them The 3 Bears and they dutifully would have given him thunderous applause.
An alleged ne’er do well was arrested on an episode of Cops and the cops laughed at his Legal Shield Card rather than act in awe of said card as pitched by Harland and associates.
I have nephew that hawks LS … When my brother was dying, 2019, he distributed flyers in my brothers hospital room and around his home … Omly a slume ball would do this …
Also Stonecipher searches have been somehow redirected to LS websites … Stonecipher was a bigoted racist … Search” bad press” on LS, you may find the truth!
Back in 2000 my husband to be was a ppl member. He was very unhappy with the lack of support from his “upline”.
When we first met he suggested I sign up under someone else, which I did. Then a few months later we got married.
Harlan and gang were furious. Demanded we produce a marriage certificate. Then HR demanded to know if we had sex before marriage and or if we lived together.
I was furious … what kind of crap was that. My husband believed it was his up line creating the problems.
At that point I didn’t care and was so turned off by the company (liked the product) that I just dropped my business affiliation with the company. Such B.S.
To me, LegalShield is the same as purchasing Life Insurance or car insurance.
Except instead of hoping you don’t die or get into an accident and actually use the plan you pay lots of money into over the years, with LegalShield you pay each month and in the event a Legal matter pops up, the Lawyer assigned to you will review the case and tell you what is best to do.
I have had letters written for me and in a few cases, I was told the process if going to court would be long, drawn out and expensive.
This is priceless advice since people without this go blindly into a lawsuit and find out the hard way that a bit of good advice would have been very helpful.
So I will continue to use this service and pay my monthly fee gladly. Oh, for me, the business side is something I would not do just because I already have a full time job.
If you feel you’re getting value from the subscription I’m not here to dissuade you.
I will say however that Legal Shield is not insurance. The company itself stresses that.
Also paying for the odd letter written up should come up short vs. an ongoing subscription.
This is every lawsuit, ever.