Frequently Asked Questions
What are faith or non-profit related legal issues?
Non-profit organizations often encounter legal issues involving incorporation matters, real estate purchases, contract disputes, employer-employee relations, taxes on unrelated business income, nuisance or trespass. The complexity of many legal issues can present problems for non-profit organizations and access to an attorney is a valuable asset. Faith Legal Services, LLC offers non-profit and faith-based organizations the opportunity to acquire legal representation at a reasonable membership rate.
What is a Legal Services Plan?
A Legal Services Plan is an arrangement in which a participant prepays for legal services which may be required in the future. There are three different membership plans available to Member Organizations: Basic, Standard, and Premium.
How do Faith Legal Services, LLC legal plans work?
Faith Legal Services, LLC will assess the nature of the legal issue presented by a Member Organization. Faith Legal Services, LLC will hire an attorney to provide competent legal representation. Faith Legal Services, LLC has arranged to use the law firm of Haynes & Haynes, LLC to provide legal services to Member Organizations. The number of hours used to resolve the issues are deducted from the number of hours available, depending on the type of Membership Plan purchased. A regular statement of hours used and hours remaining is provided to Member Organizations.
How is Faith Legal Services, LLC different from other legal services plans?
Faith Legal Services, LLC is specifically designed for the needs of organizations that are benevolent, religious, or charitable in purpose and tax-exempt or eligible for tax-exemption under Federal Law. Faith Legal Services, LLC will allow a non-profit organization to use its Membership to apply for a tax exempt status and/or non-profit status.
Are all legal issues that Member Organizations encounter covered?
While a legal services plan will cover issues typically encountered by a non-profit organization, some legal matters are beyond the scope of Faith Legal Services, LLC plans. Legal matters beyond the scope of each plan include criminal, patent, copyright, trademark, and complex civil litigation matters.
How long is a Membership Period?
Membership in a plan is on an annual basis. Membership is renewable from the last month of the calendar year to the first month of the next year.
Do Member Organizations have to worry about hourly rates for attorneys?
No. Member Organizations of Faith Legal Services, LLC plans pay a flat rate according to their membership plan type.
Are unused hours carried over to the next Membership period?
Only Premium Plan Member Organizations may carry over unused hours. Faith Legal Services, LLC will assist the Member Organization in making a decision as to which plan will best suit its needs.
Are individual employees of the Member Organization eligible for coverage under the plan?
Faith Legal Services, LLC is designed to assist non-profit organizations, not individuals.
Can a Member Organization make installment payments when joining Faith Legal Services, LLC?
Only Premium Plan Member Organizations may join by paying membership fees in two installments. Basic and Standard plan Member Organizations must pay the entire fee upon joining.
What additional fees are involved?
There may be additional costs associated with court costs, filing fees, application fees, and costs that governmental entities may require. Your organization will be advised regarding additional costs required by any Court or Agency.
What is an “Extended Membership” Benefit?
An extended membership is available in the event that your organization is faced with legal issues that are more extensive and time consuming than your plan allocates. Extended benefits are a part of the Basic, Standard, and Premium Membership Plans and include access to legal counsel at a significantly reduced hourly rate for legal matters.
What is an “Excluded Services” benefit?
An “Excluded Service” is a legal issue in an area of law that is not practiced by the primary counsel dedicated to Faith Legal Services, LLC. Some examples of these areas of law are intellectual property, environmental, and computer law. The primary counsel will use his or her knowledge to identify a referral counsel for the Member Organization. Primary counsel will communicate the nature of the Member Organization’s legal issue and interview the referral attorney to ensure qualified representation. Finally, primary counsel will assist the Member Organization in negotiating a fair hourly rate. This benefit is offered exclusively for Standard and Premium Plan Members of Faith Legal Services, LLC.
Call Faith Legal Services, LLC at (614) 221-9500 if you have any additional questions. Our trained and professional staff is waiting to assist your organization.
