Oklahoma has a district court rule outlining how a lawyer can deliver limited scope legal services. Essentially our rule allows lawyers to prepare court documents for clients who will then attend a court hearing or obtain a judge’s approval on an order. Lawyers disclose their drafting assistance to the court with a brief written statement.

Lawyers have a tradition of handling every detail of a transaction to make sure it is done correctly. So sharing tasks with a client is a change and we at OBA Management Assistance Program recommend that the client be provided a list of tasks the lawyer will do and what the client must handle for themselves. Clear engagement agreements are essential. But because the lawyer will have a standardized process, they need not be time consuming to prepare. You might meet with a client in person, but these services can also be provided electronically.

There are many reasons there may be an increased demand for this legal service delivery model, including that many Oklahomans will have much less earned income in 2020. But some lawyers with health risk factors may also decide fewer trips to the courthouse are in their best interest for the time being.

Check out the many resources the Oklahoma Bar Association provides for lawyers to use in delivering limited scope legal services at https://www.okbar.org/map/lss/.