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When do you need a lawyer's help?
Sometimes it's a no-brainer, such as when you get
sued or when you're arrested or charged with a
crime. But keep in mind that people hire lawyers for
advice and expertise all of the time, in all kinds
of situations. While you may be able to get through
a legal problem without hiring a lawyer, you should
always remember that when you represent yourself,
you might have a "fool for a client," as the saying
goes.
One of the first things to ask yourself in deciding
if you should consult an attorney is: "What's at
stake?" When your finances or liberties are in
serious jeopardy, the obvious answer is to get legal
help. But what is serious? An ordinary parking
summons is a brush with the law, but you need not
consult with an attorney to pay the fine or even to
fight it. However, if you've accumulated a number of
unpaid parking tickets and a warrant has been issued
for your arrest, you would probably want to hire a
lawyer to help you best resolve the situation, and
perhaps save you money or even keep you out of jail.
In good times as well as bad, individuals and
businesses rely on their lawyer's advice to
understand and secure legal rights and financial
interests. With good legal advice, clients are
better prepared to comply with and navigate through
the complex mazes of governmental rules and
regulations.
How quickly should you consult a lawyer?
In many situations, it is obvious that you need to
act fast. But even if you think you have lots of
time to consider your alternatives, deadlines sneak
up on you and lawyers need time to prepare. So it's
always better to start looking for a lawyer sooner
than later.
If you've been injured in an accident, keep in mind
that there are time limits on your right to file a
lawsuit. These "statutes of limitation" vary greatly
from state to state and depend upon the fact and
type of each case. In some instances, the law
requires a claimant to notify potential defendants
about any injury within an extremely short period of
time - as little as a few weeks or months.
If you sit on your rights, you could lose them. You
might have been angry for years over your neighbor's
fence encroaching on part of your property. But if
you wait too long without objecting or taking some
legal action, the law might give your neighbor the
right in the form of a prescriptive easement to
leave the fence there permanently.
What are you trying to achieve?
This is an easy question to answer if you find
yourself a defendant in a civil suit or charged with
a crime. In these cases, your goal is to keep your
money out of your adversary's pocket, or avoid
criminal sanctions.
In other situations, your objective may be less
clear. If you feel your employer unlawfully fired
you, you might want to get your job back. If you
suffered an injury from a defective product, you
might wish to recover money damages. Or you may be
faced with a situation where you need to seek an
injunction against someone. Think about these things
before you hire a lawyer.
And you must be realistic about your chances of
winning and what your case is worth.
If you aren't sure what your legal rights are, it
might be worth your time and expense to retain a
lawyer to evaluate your situation and advise you on
alternative courses of action. Even if you end up
having to pay a few hundred dollars for to consult
with an attorney, it could be a very wise investment
that ultimately saves you time and money.
What type of lawyer do you need?
Many attorneys specialize in one type of law. Other
lawyers handle a wide range of matters. You want to
hire an attorney who has expertise to represent you
effectively with respect to your legal problem.
12 Questions to ask your Lawyer
- What is your experience in this
field?
- Have you handled matters like mine?
- What are the possible outcomes of my
case?
- What are my alternatives in
resolving the matter?
- Approximately how long will it take
to resolve?
- Do you recommend mediation or
arbitration?
- What are your rates and how often
will you bill me?
- What is a ballpark figure for the
total bill, including fees and expenses?
- How will you keep me informed of
progress?
- What kind of approach will you take
to resolve the matter - aggressive and
unyielding, or will you be more inclined
to reach a reasonable settlement?
- Who else in the office will be
working on my case?
- Can junior attorneys or paralegals
in the office handle some of the
substantive legal work at a lower rate?
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