The Bravo IMPACT Award honors the achievements of companies that take a holistic, measured and incremental approach to growth, innovation and operational integrity and excellence. LegalShield certainly exemplifies each of these qualities.
LegalShield has devoted the past half-century to providing affordable assistance with everyday legal matters from wills and real estate to family law and consumer issues, as well as privacy management. To date, LegalShield currently serves 4.5 million people and more than 140,000 businesses. The company has taken 50 million requests for legal services since its inception, and it has paid out over $1 billion in commissions over the past ten years.
And it’s all driven by a passion for justice and empowerment of people.
Providing Peace of Mind
For Don Thompson, President of Network Division, the work LegalShield does comes down to one thing: empowering every person. “We empower people so they can focus more on justice than the cost of attaining it. It helps people make better everyday decisions.”
Many people will need to deal with things such as legal contracts and home buying in their lifetimes. Although these are typical life events, people are not automatically experts in these areas. LegalShield provides access to information that can give people confidence and security in their choices while preventing major legal situations.
As Thompson explained, “We focus on practical things such as reviewing a contract; writing a letter on someone’s behalf; representing people in traffic court; estate planning—everyday situations we all encounter that can still have legal ramifications to consider. That’s really where having a LegalShield membership provides the most value.”
Thompson describes the company as a paradigm shift. While many people think they have to hire an attorney and pay large amounts of money for legal services, LegalShield offers a more accessible, commonsense approach. And it’s the primary reason why LegalShield has shown such staying power throughout its existence.
“Legal services have been around in some capacity for hundreds of years. As long as there are people dealing with each other, there will be legal situations. And the services we market provide an affordable, trusted solution.”
An Opportunity with Longevity
LegalShield also offers a stable entrepreneurship opportunity. Most of the top associates have been with the company for more than 20 years. The tremendous residual compensation plan and vibrant leadership training set LegalShield apart in the industry. Warren Schlichting, the company’s CEO, came on board in December 2022 with a renewed focus on recruiting and membership growth.
“We’re experiencing explosive growth right now,” Thompson shared. “Recruiting and production are up, and there’s a lot of optimism for renewal in our company. There’s been a tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and that’s translated into some phenomenal recruiting numbers.”
Having been with LegalShield for more than half of its existence, Thompson understands the power of the opportunity. He started in the field, where he built a successful business. He joined the corporate side five years ago but still works with his team daily. It also provides him a unique perspective on what motivates (and demotivates) the field, allowing him to act as an important bridge between field and corporate.
The company’s leadership team understands the value of close connections between corporate and the field. This is why the corporate office stays in close contact with the company’s associates. Corporate leaders meet often with the Platinum Council, made up of top associates.
This communication is even easier with the company’s recent investments in technology, which has also taken the LegalShield membership experience to the next level. The robust membership app, which offers quick and easy ways to schedule appointments with attorneys and take photos—among other features—removes a lot of the hassle of dealing with legal issues and has simplified and streamlined distributor’s daily activities.
A Force for Good
Another notable aspect of LegalShield is the company’s commitment to empowering people beyond its own offices and field. Based in Ada, Oklahoma, LegalShield gives the largest annual donation to United Way of Pontotoc County, an organization that contributes to 14 local causes. Many of the company’s top associates contribute to charities, and some have even founded charities of their own. “Not only are we making an impact with our services and opportunity, but in our local community and around the world,” Thompson said.
Preparation and peace of mind are what LegalShield have become known for. And while advancements in technology have streamlined the process over the years, the company has always remained laser-focused on its initial mission and purpose: justice for all.
DSN congratulates LegalShield on over five decades of excellence, service, integrity, growth and innovation.
From the June 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
