Covered Legal Services

The University of Michigan Legal Services Plan entitles you and your enrolled dependents to receive certain personal legal services. The available benefits are very comprehensive, but there are limitations and other conditions which must be met.

Please take time for you and your family to read the description of benefits carefully. All benefit definitions are shown at the "you + adult" level of coverage available under the Legal Services Plan.

The following services are covered under the plan.

Advice and Consultation

Office Consultation

This benefit provides the opportunity to discuss with an attorney any personal legal problems which are not specifically excluded or prohibited matters.

During the consultation, the attorney will explain the participant's rights, point out his or her options and, if needed, recommend a course of action. The plan attorney will identify any further coverage available under the plan, and will undertake representation if the participant so requests.

If representation is covered by the plan, the participant will not be charged for the plan attorney's services. If representation is recommended, but is not covered by the plan, the plan attorney will provide a written fee statement in advance. The participant may choose whether to retain the plan attorney at his or her own expense; seek outside counsel; or do nothing.

There are no restrictions on the number of times per year a participant may use this service; however, for a non-covered matter, this service is not intended to provide the participant with continuing access to a plan attorney in order to undertake his or her own representation.

Telephone Advice

This benefit provides the opportunity to discuss with an attorney any personal legal problems which are not specifically excluded or prohibited matters. The plan attorney will explain the participant's rights, point out his or her options and, if needed, recommend a course of action. The plan attorney will identify any further coverage available under the plan, and will undertake representation if the participant so requests.

If representation is covered by the plan, the participant will not be charged for the plan attorney's services. If representation is recommended, but is not covered by the plan, the plan attorney will provide a written fee statement in advance. The participant may choose whether to retain the plan attorney at his or her own expense; seek outside counsel; or do nothing.

There are no restrictions on the number of times per year a participant may use this service; however, for a non-covered matter, this service is not intended to provide the participant with continuing access to a plan attorney in order to seek advice which would allow the participant to undertake his or her own representation.

Debt Collection Defense

This service provides participants with an attorney's services for negotiation with creditors for a repayment schedule and to limit creditor harassment, and representation in defense of any action for personal debt collection, tax agency debt collection, foreclosure, repossession, or garnishment, up to and including trial if necessary. It does not include counter, cross or third party claims; bankruptcy; any action arising out of family law matters, including support and post-decree issues; or any matter where the creditor is affiliated with the University of Michigan.

Defense of Civil Lawsuits

This benefit covers the participant for defense of civil proceedings in a trial court of general jurisdiction or before an administrative agency or a local, state, or federal agency. It does not apply where services are available or are being provided by virtue of a homeowner or vehicle insurance policy. It does not include divorce, paternity matters, post-decree defense or litigation of a job-related incident.

Document Preparation

Deeds

This benefit includes the preparation of any deed for which the participant is either the grantor or grantee.

Demand Letters

This benefit covers the preparation of letters which demand money, property or some other property interest of the participant, except an interest which is an excluded service, mailing them to the addressee and forwarding and explaining any response to the participant. Negotiations and representation in litigation are not included.

Document Review

Any personal legal document of the participant will be reviewed by a plan attorney.

Mortgages

This benefit includes the preparation of any mortgage for which the participant is the mortgagor.

Notes

This benefit includes the preparation of any promissory note for which the participant is the payor or payee.

Family Law

Name Change

This benefit covers the participant for all necessary pleadings and court hearings for a legal name change.

Uncontested Adoption

All uncontested governmental agency and step-parent adoptions are fully covered for the participant and spouse or other qualified adult. If an adoption becomes contested, the member or spouse or other qualified adult must pay all additional legal fees.

Uncontested Guardianship or Conservatorship

This service covers establishing a guardianship or conservatorship over a person and his or her estate by the member or spouse or other qualified adult. It includes obtaining a temporary guardianship or conservatorship if necessary, gathering any necessary medical evidence, preparing the paperwork and attending the hearing. If the proceeding becomes contested, the member, spouse, or other qualified adult must pay all the additional legal fees. This benefit does not include representation of the person over whom guardianship or conservatorship is sought, or any proceedings involving annual accountings once guardianship or conservatorship has been established.

Real Estate Matters

Eviction Defense

This benefit provides representation for the participant as a residential tenant, in case of eviction, up to and including a trial defense, if necessary.

Refinancing of Home

This benefit includes the review or preparation, by an attorney representing the participant, of all relevant documents (including the mortgage, deed and documents pertaining to title, insurance, recordation and taxation), which are involved in the refinancing of a participant's primary residence. It does not include services provided by any attorney representing a lending institution or title company.

The benefit does not include the refinancing of a second home, vacation property, unimproved land, rental property or property held for business or investment. The sale or purchase of a home, and home equity loans are not included under this benefit.

Sale or Purchase of Home

This benefit includes the review or preparation, by an attorney representing the participant, of all relevant documents (including the purchase agreement, mortgage, deed and documents pertaining to title, insurance, recordation and taxation), which are involved in the purchase or sale of a participant's primary residence. The benefit also includes attendance of an attorney at closing, in cities where it is the custom to do so. It does not include services provided by any attorney representing a lending institution or title company.

The benefit does not include the sale or purchase of a second home, vacation property, unimproved land, rental property or property held for business or investment. Refinancings and home equity loans are not included under this benefit.

Tenant Negotiations

This service assists the participant as a tenant with matters involving leases, security deposits or other disputes with a residential landlord. It does not include representation in a lawsuit.

Wills and Estate Planning

Living Wills

This benefit covers the preparation of a living will for the participant.

Powers of Attorney

This benefit includes the preparation of any power of attorney when the participant is granting the power.

Trusts

This benefit includes the preparation of a living trust for the participant. It does not include financial or tax planning.

Wills and Codicils

This benefit covers the preparation of a will for the participant. The creation of any testamentary trust, other than a simple support trust for minor children, is not covered. The benefit includes the preparation of codicils, or will amendments. It does not include financial or tax planning.

Please note that simple will preparation services are available to U-M faculty and staff members enrolled in the U-M Optional Life Insurance Plan through MetLife without enrollment in the Legal Services Plan.

Identity Protection and Management, Credit Monitoring

Identity Protection Services

Identity protection services provide assistance for emerging identity theft threats, including phishing scams, mobile device attacks, company data breaches, medical identity theft, lost and destroyed documents, and other identity theft issues.

Identity Management Services

This services provides access to MetLife + Aura Identity & Fraud Protection that includes proactive services when you believe your personal data has been compromised, and resolution services to assist you in recovering from account takeover or identity theft.

Credit Monitoring

This service provides single bureau credit monitoring for you only, and includes alerts based on your social security number and a credit report that monitors your credit activity and new lines of credit. 

Non-Credit Monitoring

This service monitors Internet surveillance of your personal information that could be associated with financial accounts. The benefit provides daily monitoring and alerts based on your bank account, routing, and credit card numbers and expiration date. It also provides monitoring of medical records and insurance claims based on your policy number and medical identification numbers.

Enrollment Activation: Aura

Credit monitoring and non-credit monitoring is provided through Aura. When you enroll in the Legal Services Plan, you will receive an email from MetLife Legal Plans with the subject line, "Your identity theft coverage through MetLife Legal Plans has been upgraded." You may need to search your email program's Spam or Junk folder to locate this email. Follow the instructions in the email to activate your enrollment.

Services Not Covered

Certain matters are excluded from coverage under the Legal Services Plan. No services, not even a consultation, can be provided on the following matters:

  • Payment made to a third party (someone other than the attorney) such as costs, witness fees, transcripts, recording fees, filing fees, fines, penalties, judgments or orders of restitution ordered by any court;
  • Appeals, class actions, interventions, derivative actions and amicus curiae filings;
  • Business, farm, commercial or rental property transactions, including any legal services which would ordinarily be deductible under the Internal Revenue Code as a necessary expense of doing business;
  • Admiralty, patents, trademarks and copyrights;
  • Tax return preparation;
  • Disputes or proceedings involving the University of Michigan or any of its divisions or affiliated organizations;
  • Disputes, claims or proceedings involving MetLife Legal Plans, MetLife, or any affiliates, any participating law firm or attorney, or the plan;
  • Matters for which you are or have been receiving legal services before you received an authorization number;
  • Matters handled by an attorney who is not a plan attorney, unless you have received MetLife's authorization to select a non-participating attorney;
  • Matters which MetLife Legal Plans deems frivolous, non-meritorious or unethical;
  • Services on behalf of a spouse, other qualified adult or dependent where you are an adversary;
  • Any employment-related matters. This includes, but is not limited to, disputes or proceedings involving the University of Michigan or any of its affiliates, any employee benefit or any agents, officers or employees of these groups, or claims for Workers' Compensation or Unemployment Compensation;
  • Any bankruptcy or debt proceeding that would result in the discharge or collection delay of a debt owed to the University of Michigan, its subsidiaries or affiliates, or any benefit plan established, maintained or administered by the University of Michigan, its subsidiaries or affiliates.