- 01You can afford one and the stakes justify the cost
- 02You need someone to appear in court for you
- 03Your case involves complex legal strategy (custody battles, serious criminal charges)
- 04You want professional legal advice on which arguments to make
Comparison
Lawyers are invaluable for legal strategy and courtroom representation. But if your primary need is document preparation, there's a more accessible option.
Feature
Hiring a lawyer
SynthCounsel
Cost
The average consumer attorney charges $250–$350/hour. A simple debt defense can cost $2,000–$5,000.
$200–$500/hr
$149/case or $39/mo
Document formatting
Attorneys format documents correctly. So does SynthCounsel. The output is identical — court-compliant formatting per jurisdiction rules.
handled
handled
Legal strategy
Attorneys advise on which arguments to make and how to position your case. SynthCounsel presents options — you choose.
included
not included
Court representation
Attorneys can appear in court on your behalf. SynthCounsel prepares your documents, but you represent yourself.
yes
no
Deadline management
Attorneys track deadlines on calendars. SynthCounsel computes them automatically with rule-based accuracy.
manual
automated
Available 24/7
Attorneys have office hours. SynthCounsel is available whenever you need it — including 2 AM before a deadline.
no
yes
Violation scanning
An attorney may spot FDCPA violations during review. SynthCounsel scans systematically for all 8 FDCPA + 3 FCRA violations.
possible
instant
Speed
Attorneys juggle multiple clients. SynthCounsel generates documents in minutes.
days-weeks
minutes
Privacy
Attorney-client privilege protects your communications. SynthCounsel never stores or shares your data beyond your account.
confidential
zero telemetry
Pick the right tool
- 01You can’t afford an attorney ($200–$500/hour adds up fast)
- 02Your primary need is document preparation, not legal strategy
- 03You’re representing yourself and need court-formatted documents
- 04You have a tight deadline and need documents generated fast
- 05You want to draft documents before consulting with a lawyer (saves billable hours)
Worth knowing
Many users draft documents with SynthCounsel, then bring them to an attorney for a quick review. This can cut attorney costs by 50–75% since you’re paying for review time, not drafting time. A 15-minute attorney review of a pre-drafted document costs far less than 3 hours of drafting from scratch.
80% of civil legal needs go unmet because people can't afford attorneys. SynthCounsel exists for the 30 million Americans filing pro se every year.