I DON’T NEED A LAWYER!!!

‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’

While not every legal battle requires a lawyer, for most situations that involve a legal dispute doing it alone is not way too risky. 

Lawyers spend the better part of their lives studying the law and as such are best positioned to ensure you get a fair trial. A Lawyer’s job is not just a legal adviser, but also a helping hand in times of need. They have experience with similar claims and they would understand the stress and anxiety it causes you. You can tell your Lawyer how you feel and chances are, they might have heard it before and knows exactly what advice to give you to keep you calm and ease your mind. But the most important part of it, you won’t have to worry about telling everything to your Lawyer because everything you say will be kept confidential.

Not Having a Lawyer May Cost You More

What’s at stake? A criminal case may determine whether or not you spend time behind bars, while a civil case could hurt you financially. Besides, many civil Lawyers don’t collect a dime from you unless they win your case. Also, you may be able to claim legal fees as a plaintiff in a civil case, so hiring a lawyer can save or make you money. Where most of us don’t think twice about having a family doctor or keeping a handyman on call, many people feel that having a lawyer is a sign that something is wrong. To many, it’s a sign that someone is either looking for trouble or doing something risky that might make them more likely to have legal problems.

Then why do you need a Lawyer? It’s Always Better to Avoid Problems Rather Than Fix Them Later

You may have heard the saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Well, hiring a lawyer in many instances will help you avoid potential legal headaches down the road. Do you understand the fine print of that contract you are signing and what it will mean for you down the road? A lawyer will.

The prevention of a problem is better than a cure for it, and hiring competent legal representation can be instrumental in making sure that something that could become a potentially huge issue, won’t. 

Reasons:

1. Lawyer Can Present Your Strongest Case: Pleading guilty or admitting fault isn’t the only choice, even if there’s evidence pointing directly at you. When you hire a lawyer, they can explain all of your options and can help you avoid potentially severe penalties even before a trial begins.
2. Lawyers Know How to Negotiate Settlements and Plea Bargains: An experienced lawyer probably has seen cases similar to yours or at least knows enough to make a calculated guess about how it might get resolved at trial. Sometimes a settlement is the best choice, while other times it makes more sense to see your case through to trial. A Lawyer can also help negotiate a fair settlement with the opposing party.
3. The Other Party Probably Has Legal Representation: Non-Lawyers are generally at a disadvantage when squaring off against opposing counsel or doing business with another party that has legal counsel. The law is complicated and a Lawyer representing your adversary (or even a non-adversarial party entering into a legal agreement with you) will take advantage of this inequity.
4. Starting a Business: Whether you are going it alone, have a partner, or are setting up a corporation, never try to navigate all of the legal requirements alone. You need to be lawful and you need to be protected. Only a lawyer who specializes in business law can ensure these things.
5. Powerful Networking: No lawyer operates in a vacuum. Every Lawyer operates in a network with other legal professionals, including many different specialties, officials in various areas of government, and other professionals of all types. For example, if you need an accountant to help with your taxes? A lawyer is a good person to ask who in the area is good. Need to file some papers with the local government? A lawyer can usually tell you where to go and what to watch out for. Having someone who can direct you to the right people is always invaluable and that’s something Lawyers excel at.
6. A lawyer can help you get better financial results: Most people don’t hire a lawyer because they’re scared of how much money it will cost, but the truth is having a lawyer on your side almost always means you’ll get better results than if you represent yourself. Get an estimate of fees from several lawyers and then do a cost-benefit analysis based on the cost of hiring a lawyer to the benefit (which might not just be monetary) of having someone to represent you.
7. You’re dealing with complicated contracts: Whether you’re dealing with estate planning, business matters, tax issues, or any legally binding contact, it’s imperative that you understand all of the terms. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, don’t understand the fine print, or simply don’t know how to prepare a contract, hiring a lawyer can help you avoid potential legal problems months or years down the road.
8. You want everything handled and filed properly: Do you know how to handle procedural issues, like court deadlines, the protocol for filing legal documents, and everything else that can come up with a legal case? Representing yourself means figuring all of that out. The bad news is that one mistake can negatively impact your case or, even worse: end up with your case getting thrown out. A lawyer will know how to do everything properly, from filing a petition or complaint to paying court fees to deal with the court clerk and doing all of the waiting in line that comes with that.
9. You want solid advice: Unlike a friend or an insurance agent, a lawyer is obligated to provide you with all of your available options. Your lawyer will even reach out to other qualified professionals to get more information, if necessary. Ultimately, your Lawyer will give you all of the information you need and help you make the decision that’s best for you.
10. Protect Against Lawsuits: As you might guess, having a lawyer can help prevent lawsuits. In reality, if you’re hiring alawyer after you’ve already been sued, it’s probably too late. A good lawyer can help reduce thecharges, but they can’t protect you from them entirely. Be proactive before a lawsuit occurs, getyour legalities in order, and cover all of your bases.
11. State and Federal Compliance: You’re probably familiar with the fact that state and federal laws are different and have theirprocedures to follow. When you incorporate a business, perform business dealings across statelines, take your business overseas, build property, and pay your taxes, there are certain rulesand regulations you must observe. Even if you’re a wiz at research, as a small business owner,there’s no way you have the.
12. Follow the law: Ignorance is not a defense. Unfortunately, many individuals are convicted of crimes they didn’t know they were committing at the time, especially white-collar infractions. But with a business lawyer at your side, you can ensure your company complies with all applicable laws and avoids costly litigation.

Lawyers Often Provide a Free Consultation

Since many Lawyers will meet with you for free during a face-to-face consultation, there is no harm in talking with one. Not only will a free consultation give you an idea of the type of case you have and its likely outcome, but it will also help you decide whether you need to hire a lawyer. 

1. A lawyer can give you legal advice.

This may include:

1. Reading and explaining documents
   1. Helping you fill in forms
   1. Helping you fill in an application for a grant of legal aid
   1. Giving you an opinion about what you should do, the strength of your case, the likely outcome.
   1. A Complex or Nasty Divorce
   1. A Wrongful Termination or Discrimination in the Workplace
   1. Wills and Trusts
2. A lawyer can represent you (do work for you and speak on your behalf). This may include:
   1. Writing letters or emails on your behalf
   1. Negotiating with the other party on your behalf
   1. Representing you in court.

There are some benefits of getting legal advice;

A lawyer:

1. Can help you understand your legal rights and responsibilities
2. Knows how the law applies to your case
3. May be aware of a defence or law that you are not aware of
4. Can tell you how strong your case is
5. Can advise you about any relevant time limits or if you can get an extension on any deadlines that may apply.

Ready to Hire a Lawyer? (Congratulations on making this decision)

What to Ask When Hiring a Lawyer;

1. Are you experienced? Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions about a lawyer’s experience. If you know you want to incorporate your business, for example, ask if he or she has ever handled an incorporation.
2. Are you well-connected? Your business Lawyer should be something of a legal “internist”—one who can diagnose your problem, perform any “minor surgery” that may be needed, and refer you to local specialists for “major surgery” if needed. No lawyer can know everything about every area of law. If your business has specialized legal needs (a graphic designer, for example, may need someone familiar with copyright laws), your Lawyer should either be familiar with that special area or have a working relationship with someone who is. You shouldn’t have to go scrounging for a new lawyer each time a different type of legal problem comes up.
3. Do you have other clients in my industry? Your Lawyer should be somewhat familiar with your industry and its legal environment. If not, he or she should be willing to learn the ins and outs of it. 
4. Are you a good teacher? Your Lawyer should be willing to take the time to educate you and your staff about the legal environment of your business. He or she should tell you what the law says and explain how it affects the way you do business so that you can spot problems well in advance. The right lawyer will distribute such freebies as newsletters or memoranda that describe recent developments in the law affecting your business.
5. Will you be flexible in your billing? Because there is currently a “glut” of lawyers, with far too many practicing in most geographic locales, lawyers are in a position to have to negotiate their fees as never before, and it is a “buyer’s market.” Still, there are limits–unlike the personal injury lawyers who advertise on TV, business lawyers almost always will not work for a “contingency fee,” payable only if your legal work is completed to your satisfaction.

Don’t judge a lawyer by their age, office, or the size of their firm. The key thing is their experience in dealing with your sort of legal problem.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Lawyer

1. Does this person communicate well?
2. Do I like this person? Don’t forget to follow your instincts and feelings. You should be able to communicate openly and freely with your Lawyer at all times. If you feel you cannot trust a particular lawyer or you believe the two of you have different perspectives, keep looking. 

Qualities every good lawyer should have

1. Good communication skills: Lawyers must be orally articulate, have good written communication skills, and also be good listeners. Lawyers must also be able to write, persuasively and concisely, as they must produce a variety of legal documents.
2. Judgment: The ability to draw reasonable, logical conclusions or assumptions from limited information is essential as a lawyer.
3. Analytical skills: Both the study and practice of law involve absorbing large quantities of information, then having to distil it into something manageable and logical.
4. Research skills: Similarly, being able to research quickly and effectively is essential to understanding your clients, their needs, and to preparing legal strategies.
5. People skills: Law is not an abstract practice. Irrelevant of how well someone does academically, at the end of the day lawyers work with people, on behalf of people, and the decisions that are made affect people’s lives. They must be personable, persuasive, and able to read others.
6. Perseverance: “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” Even studying to become a lawyer takes a great deal of perseverance and commitment – and that’s before you even start work!
7. Creativity: The very top lawyers are not only logical and analytical, but they display a great deal of creativity in their problem-solving. The best solution is not always the most obvious and to outmaneuver your challenger it is often necessary to think outside the box.

Lawyers Prevent Problems

Most people think of Lawyers as people who fix problems but, in truth, most of the work that they do is preventative in nature. Whether it’s reviewing contracts, writing up agreements, filing paperwork, or making sure that their client is compliant with the law.

A lawyer is there to represent the interest of their clients and those interests are best served by keeping them out of legal trouble, not just merely defending them when they are in the middle of it.

Having a lawyer that can read your contracts, keep up your business filings up to date and guide you through any paperwork you may have can go a long way to preventing legal problems and that, in the long run, saves you a great deal of money and headache.

Generally, if you aren’t super-wealthy or a villain on a crime show, it’s not widely expected you’d have any Lawyer you can call when needed without searching. Instead, you’re expected to “get a Lawyer” when things get rough. But what’s expected of you is not always best for you, especially if you’re a webmaster, businessman or someone who is in a position where they may need a lawyer sometime in the future. Just like with a doctor or a mechanic, it’s best to have an established relationship with someone before things go bad, so you have someone who knows who you are and can dive right in to help. If you aren’t working with a Lawyer, today is a great day to get one because tomorrow it may be too late. But, even if there isn’t an urgent need on the horizon, there are still several reasons why it is a great idea to get a lawyer today.

You Never Know…

You never know when the next legal bump is around the corner and you might need a lawyer urgently. It’s important that you have an established relationship with one so they can hit the ground running and spend less time backtracking through your history.

A quick, effective response generally means a better outcome for you and money saved. In short, the better you know your Lawyer, the better he or she can help you.

Do you want peace of mind? Hiring a lawyer will not only give you a much better shot at a favorable outcome, but it will also help you sleep so much better at night.

When you need your lawyer, you’ll be glad that you met them when you did.

By:

Oyefeso Iyanuoluwa Esq.

Corporate, Commercial and Property Lawyer and Business Formation Expert.

Partner at OLUWASOLA OYEFESO & CO.

lawyer.oyefeso@gmail.com

08100675645