Although many people have heard of legal coaching (or "unbundled legal services", "limited-representation" or "limited-scope representation"), not a lot of people know what this actually looks like in practice. They may be aware of the concept of representing yourself at court (a Self-Rep) with the help, rather than the full representation, of a lawyer, but are unsure how best to use this service.

In truth, what legal coaching looks like depends on the needs of the client and the case. Here are seven different ways you can use legal coaching to help you represent yourself more effectively, efficiently and easily.

At the Beginning

1. Summary advice

When a legal issue strikes, it can often be hard to know where to start. There are so many questions Self-Reps have: Where do I go? What are my rights? What do I have to prove?

Legal coaching can be as simple as one session at the very beginning of a case to identify the issue(s), get some legal advice, discuss goals and options and set out a roadmap to follow towards a resolution. Especially with simpler cases, one session at the beginning might be good enough to get someone started and point them in the right direction, and from there they might be able to resolve the case themselves.

We have a special lower rate for a first-time session (called a summary advice session). As this shorter session is intended to be a one-off, the goal is a clear (although early) macro level plan.

2. Help with paperwork

Even after someone has located the correct Court forms to file, many people still need help correctly identifying all the relevant facts, laws and relief that make up a legal matter, so as not to jeopardize their case before it even starts.

Legal coaching can help with drafting legal documents to start (or defend) a case. Whether you just want a lawyer to look over your paperwork and provide feedback, or you want help drafting from the onset, legal coaching can accommodate this range of needs. Whichever level of assistance someone chooses, participating in the creation of court documents can help increase the Self-Rep's overall knowledge of both the documents and the case, which strengthens their Self-Rep skills.

We have a special lower rate for reviewing documents prior to a session, so by the time you get to the actual session, we will be ready to provide feedback.

3. Court system orientation

Many Self-Reps report wishing that starting a Court proceeding as a Self-Rep triggered an orientation course.* They report wishing they could start their case with a greater understanding of the whole process from beginning to end. That way they could better understand the purpose, weight and consequences of the decisions they have to make early on.

Although there is actually a lot of legal information out there on what to expect in litigation, and some specifically for Self-Reps, it can be hard, without previous litigation experience, to know which parts of the process you can expect to encounter. It can be overwhelming to try to learn absolutely everything because you don't know which of the many paths your case might take.

This could also be a one-time session. Getting a macro-level summary of the path your case will likely follow can create the clarity to resolve the matter quicker and the knowledge to see the various options to get there. This works especially for people who are motivated to resolve their matter earlier.

At Any Time

4. Ongoing case consultation

Legal coaching can be used to guide a Self-Rep through the entire Court process, or any part of it. Someone might only want help with the parts they find the most challenging, while others might want the structure of case-long coaching. 

Each session might start with a review of the last steps taken and any questions or issues arising, then switch to looking at the next few upcoming steps, setting a timeline and learning the rules that apply. Many people find this helps keep them accountable. Ideally, the Self-Rep leaves each session with a clear sense of what they need to do next, the skills to do it and the accountability to do it on time.

5. Trial preparation

Some people will do almost everything on the case themselves, but get legal coaching specifically to help them prepare for trial. You should start thinking about trial strategy very early on, so this kind of support might look like one or two sessions at the beginning to get clear on the strategy, but pausing them until the trial date is set.

In addition to all the work it takes to get a case to trial, the trial itself requires hours and hours of preparation. Legal coaching to prepare for trial can look like deciding on strategy, collaborating on the final argument, proofreading opening statements, assessing and organizing evidence, or working on presentation skills through practice. It can be incredibly calming before a trial knowing you are fully prepared.

6. Skills training

Representing yourself in Court requires the acquisition of many new skills. You need to perform the work of a lawyer, without the three years of law school and years of experience of the lawyer you will likely be up against. Legal coaching is a good way to learn, practice and apply new skills like cross-examining a witness, interviewing a potential witness, legal research and oral advocacy.

7. Legal research and report

Any skill can be learned with enough study and practice, but it takes a long time to get efficient at legal research.

Some Self-Reps might decide to hire a lawyer to complete this task alone, leveraging their legal training for greater efficiency, thoroughness and accuracy in a researched briefing of the state of the law.

We have a special lower rate for legal research with a written report.**

*there are some processes in effect but they are limited

**you will need to book a coaching session to discuss the findings and how to apply those to your case to support your argument