Odds & Ends in the Legal World (Mostly Odd)

While shoppers have grown accustomed to seeing eye doctors, shoe repairmen, bank branches, and hair salons in their local Wal-Mart stores, the chain now appears poised to add a new service to its discount lineup -- an in-store law firm.

It's already happened in Toronto, Canada.  According to the Toronto Star and the ABA Journal, the Axess Law Firm has branch offices in three Toronto Wal-Mart stores.  The firm is emulating the basic Wal-Mart business model -- focusing on volume, which enables them to charge extremely low rates.  News reports say the firm charges $99 for a simple Will.  In addition, the firm plans to offer discounted divorces (uncontested) and real estate services later this year.

The owners of the law firm seem pleased with the results thus far.  One of the Toronto Wal-Mart law offices is open seven days a week until 8pm, and the lawyers report that evenings and weekends are their busiest hours.

William Peacock, FindLaw's Strategist blogger believes several other ingredients may make this a recipe for financial success: (1) a large market of middle and low income citizens who are currently under-served by the legal profession, (2) a staggering number of unemployed lawyers in America (who can provide a cheap labor supply to the new firms), and (3) a proven distribution network that is already in place.

I haven't found any mention of immediate plans to house law firms in Wal-Mart stores in the United States.  But it sounds like a pretty good bet.  Most of the ethical impediments (e.g. the prohibition on non-lawyer ownership of law firms) could be avoided if Wal-Mart merely leased office space to lawyers -- much like the "independent doctors of optometry" found at many Wal-Mart stores.

To stay up-to-speed on other emerging trends in the legal profession, be sure to catch the annual Recent Developments seminars offered by Barristers Educational Services (in-person and live webcasts).  These Recent Developments courses will be offered this year in Arkansas (in Little Rock June 27th), in Mississippi (various dates in July in Natchez, Hattiesburg, Clarksdale, Oxford, Starkville, Jackson, and Gulfport), and in Alabama and Tennessee in December.  Visit the "In-Person Seminars" page of www.BarristersCLE.com by clicking here for more information.

By William R. Newman, J. D., President of Barristers CLE