Initially, our office was unsure whether this story would take off, but apparently it has generated a lot of controversy since the news hit earlier this week. A 21-year-old NYU law school student is preparing to launch "Shpoonkle," a reverse auction site in which consumers would post their legal problems and lawyers would bid the lowest possible price to win the client's case. Proponents of Shpoonkle claim it would allow the indigent more access to attorneys, who often charge exorbitant prices on an hourly basis. However, detractors are calling this a race to the bottom, where the least qualified attorneys are going to prey upon the least sophisticated individuals. According to the ABA article here, several attorneys have already signed up with Shpoonkle. Still, doubts linger whether Shpoonkle will ultimately survive. There seem to be a quandary of ethical problems involved with such a site, which probably explains why so many similar sites have been shut down in the past (as noted here).
No doubt there are well-paid attorneys who are objecting to Shpoonkle because it would presumably affect their bottom line. But regardless of that, the idea appears to have its problems.
To my mind, I see it like this: If I were a doctor, and there were a site (and there might be one) where patients post their medical problems online and physicians bid as low as possible to retain the patient, I would want no part of it. And if that seems unethical and predatory for licensed physicians, it would seem no different for licensed attorneys.
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