How AOR Revolutionized Self-Defense Legal Programs

The Attorneys On Retainer Program (“AOR”) consists of two separate legal contracts: 1. A legal services agreement with The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm, and 2. A contract to become an affiliate of The Attorneys On Retainer Association (“The AOR Association”).    

As a result of the first contract, the AOR member becomes a client of The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm (“AFF”).  As a client of the law firm, attorney-client privilege attaches immediately.  All clients are requested to complete an emergency information form which provides information for the attorneys to use in the event of a release hearing which occurs after an arrest.  The law firm also administers a 24/7/365 emergency hotline for AOR members to call in the event of a self-defense-related matter.  All attorneys at the law firm stand ready to work as a team to defend any AFF client in court who is charged with a crime resulting from a self-defense-related matter.  The attorneys also associate with the client’s choice of local counsel to represent clients in any state.  Legal representation in the related civil case as well as representation in red flag/emergency order matters is also included along with all experts and investigators. 

As a result of the second contract, every AOR member becomes an affiliate of The AOR Association which advocates for the legal interests of commercial businesses, firearms enthusiasts, and people interested in self-defense issues.  It also offers pro-bono legal representation to non-members who are wrongfully charged with crimes after acting in self-defense or defense of others.  The AOR Association also offers a series of professional online firearms education and training to all its affiliates.  All affiliates can earn commissions as they successfully refer other businesses and individuals to receive training by becoming affiliates.  The AOR Association also owns The Attorneys For Freedom Risk Retention Group, Inc. (“RRG”), which insures The AOR Association as well as all affiliates and provides funding for legal representation without many of the exclusions often found in insurance products.  Affiliates receive other benefits including discounts on firearms, ammunition, and other items, as well as the AOR Conference, a monthly newsletter, and opportunities to receive legal advice on self-defense-related legal matters.  

A Risk Retention Group is NOT an insurance company. Instead, it is a lesser-known and rarely used specific legal entity formed pursuant to federal law. See The Liability Risk Retention Act at 15 U.S.C. § 3901 et seq. Unlike insurance companies, which are regulated in each state in accordance with specific state insurance regulations, Risk Retention Groups are regulated only by one domiciliary or chartering state. Additionally, federal law permits Risk Retention Groups to issue specialty private insurance policies in any of the fifty states upon delivering proper notice to the state.

While The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm decided to form The Attorneys On Retainer Association to encourage and promote firearms training and offer many additional benefits, a Risk Retention Group was needed to provide civil liability coverage to its members. As a law firm, AFF could not provide this product to its members because liability coverage is a traditional insurance product. Under insurance laws, no coverage is ever available for acts such as robbing banks or other intended criminal purposes. However, a Risk Retention Group can provide coverage for incidents when there is a good faith basis to assert the act was done in self-defense. Traditional commercial insurers regularly exclude coverage in this area as well as in many other areas that the original AOR Program did not exclude. Therefore, a specialty private insurance group created and run by AFF was needed to fill that market void.

The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm (“AFF”) was absolutely unwilling to compromise the AOR’s original program to conform to the mandates of an associated independent traditional insurance company that would undoubtedly insist on the countless exclusions found in many other competitors’ insurance policies. AFF was also unwilling to include a recoupment clause, which often applies upon a guilty plea and could subject the member to having to repay the insurance company for all funds expended. Nor was AFF willing to share any information about any member with any associated insurance company. AFF formed The Attorneys For Freedom Risk Retention Group, Inc. to avoid any of these issues and maintain the integrity of the AOR membership its clients have come to rely on.

The Attorneys For Freedom Risk Retention Group, Inc. (“RRG”) was chartered in Montana. Montana’s Commissioner of Securities and Insurance thoroughly and adequately vetted the RRG, using independent actuaries and experts, for financial stability, compliance with all Montana and federal regulations, and proper reserve financial capitalization. The RRG was found to have met all legal and financial requirements of MT law and federal law. Additionally, three well-respected attorneys in the RRG industry independently reviewed the RRG and each concluded all legal requirements have been satisfied.

• Addition of commercial liability coverage for businesses and organizations
• Addition of commercial employee benefits for businesses and organizations
• Addition of a commercial Affiliate Program for all Association affiliates
• Addition of legal advocacy to vindicate constitutional and business rights
• Addition of civil liability coverage up to $100,000
• Addition of red flag/emergency order coverage up to $15,000
• Addition of expungement/record clearing coverage up to $5,000
• Addition of self-defense training/education benefit
• Elimination of 35% discount on attorney’s fees for non-self-defense cases (This is due to the fact that, other than legal advocacy matters to vindicate 2A or other pro-freedom rights, AFF now exclusively handles only self-defense related cases)

• Monthly and yearly pricing remains the same for current AOR members
• AFF solely decides what constitutes a “self-defense-related matter”
• All information about all AOR members remains solely with AFF
• All AOR members establish an attorney-client relationship with AFF
• Unlimited legal representation from AFF for self-defense-related matters
• Both felony and misdemeanor legal representation
• Both trial and appellate-level legal representation
• Unlimited legal fees for civil defense on self-defense-related legal matters
• Bail bond funding
• Scene clean-up
• Psychological counseling
• Firearm replacement
• Victim representation

The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm (“AFF”) created and formed The Attorneys On Retainer Association (“The Association”) and The Attorneys For Freedom Risk Retention Group, Inc. (“RRG”).  The Association is a non-profit association that wholly owns RRG.  When members join The AOR Program, they are automatically covered by the RRG Policy, written by the attorneys at AFF, to comply with the terms in the AOR Program’s original law firm plan and the new added benefits.  The RRG Policy provides commercial liability coverage for businesses and organizations, legal representation to any member involved in a self-defense-related criminal or civil matter, and many other benefits.  AFF attorneys are the only people who interpret the RRG Policy and make all coverage decisions.  The RRG Policy expressly and irrevocably appoints AFF to represent all AOR members and all information about all AOR members remains exclusively with AFF subject to attorney-client privilege.

The AOR Strike Force is a prestigious group of AFF attorneys, paralegals, and support staff who serve as the response team for AOR members calling the emergency line.  AFF employees wishing to be on the Strike Force must go through a comprehensive interview process and thoroughly demonstrate their commitment to being available to handle an AOR emergency call at any time, day or night, rain or shine.  Not every AFF employee who applies to the Strike Force gets selected to join.  Strike Force members have monthly meetings where opportunities for improvement and best practices are discussed.  They are also additionally financially compensated to serve on the AOR Strike Force.

AOR provides members with a 24/7/365 dedicated emergency line that is exclusive to AOR members.  AOR members who call the AOR Emergency Hotline are immediately connected to an AFF attorney who is ready to dispense legal advice and will stay involved with the case until the end. Attorney-client protected legal representation commences immediately.  Significantly, all communications between AOR members and AFF attorneys are not discoverable as they are strictly protected by attorney-client privilege and the ethical duty of confidentiality. AOR members have legal representation and critically important legal advice when they need it any day or time with no exceptions or excuses. If further action is needed, the Strike Force commences securing local counsel and an investigator as well as posting bond immediately.

The Attorneys On Retainer Association (“The Association”) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit entity that serves the interests of business owners, firearms owners, and self-defense trainers and enthusiasts nationally. The Association provides firearms and self-defense education and training to all its affiliates and offers a commercial affiliate program designed to help both organizational and individual affiliates earn income by referring people to join AOR. It also uses a portion of all dues to fund litigation advancing the interests of responsible firearms ownership and the cause of a free society. It provides comprehensive legal assistance in both criminal and civil cases to AOR members who have been involved in self-defense-related matters.

The Attorneys On Retainer Association (“The Association”) was formed to advance the interests of business owners, firearms owners, and self-defense trainers and enthusiasts nationally. The Association provides a host of educational, networking, marketing, and legal benefits to its organizational and individual members. Much of what AOR membership offers could not be provided solely by The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm (“AFF”). In an effort to dramatically expand the AOR membership and the benefits it offers, a national association independent from AFF was needed. The Association is also the sole owner of The Attorneys For Freedom Risk Retention Group, Inc. (“RRG”), which offers many legal and other benefits for all AOR members who are involved in a self-defense-related legal matter.