The Court Of Public Opinion

From Bill Gates at the end of the last century to John D. Rockefeller at the end of the previous century; from Rick Scott, founder of Columbia Health Care, to AT&T: from Richard Branson and British Airlines to Dan Pe?a and The Financial Times; from government, banking, insurance and every other facet of world commerce – to grow geometrically and stay around, litigation must be (prudently) used and mastered.

I will, as briefly as I can, memorialize the salient points of using litigation as a business tool.

Now before I start, I want it on the record, some 50% of my 30-year track record of litigation has had nothing to do with winning money, i.e., many lawsuits have been over principle, some were to right a heinous wrong such as slanderous remarks made about me; and some were because an entity just needed a good comeuppance and nobody else would carry the flag into battle.

I, like Don Quixote, have fought many a windmill.

As you’ve heard me speak and write about, when building your ‘Dream Team,’ you want Big Five accountants and a large national or international firm of lawyers – the best representation you can’t afford!

Unlike the success-oriented fees I coach you to use when facilitating transactions, no law firm will litigate initially on this basis.

Perhaps if your case is especially strong, they will do it on a contingency basis. Unfortunately, you will be using, from time-to-time, litigation as a positioning tool and your case may not be something you can seriously leverage.

A year or two ago, being left with a pig-in-a-poke, I had to litigate a case having specious facts at best to support my desired outcome. Fortunately, our (my) apparent lust for litigation was stronger than their desire to fight a hard fight, so a reasonably good settlement was finally arrived at.

Of course, during this process my good lawyers counseled us, advising our case needed to be much stronger, etc. Even with great lawyers, it is their job to tell you the downside risks. Again, what happens is you are often scared from pursuing your case.

Good lawyers win so-so lawsuits. Great lawyers can win lawsuits in which you have little or no chance to win.

Three of my favorite litigators over the years are Steve Susman and Cyrus Marter IV of Susman Godfrey in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle and Tim Harris of Charleston Revich & Williams in Los Angeles. All three have dug me out of some pretty big black holes.

I’ve dealt with them 10 and 20 years respectively. They are worth every penny they charge!

Our judicial system works, but we grow up being afraid of it. It’s way out of our comfort zone so we preclude ourselves from benefitting from it. Normally the cost associated with it keeps us from using it.

In fact, I’m currently embroiled in litigation where the ancillary players to the litigation have rights which are being severely violated. A large group of people could bring great pressure to bear, but they’re afraid because of previous bad experiences. They could get what they deserve but aren’t pursuing their best interests.

There are lawyers who take on cases for humanitarian reasons, if the case warrants, in business as well, i.e., big major corporations taking advantage of the system because of their size alone.

Why do you want to initiate the lawsuit so you are the plaintiff? As the plaintiff, you pick where and when the lawsuit is fought and probably ultimately adjudicated.

This can be a huge advantage. And secondly, the plaintiff is allowed two closing arguments, meaning you (your lawyer) gets to address the judge and/or jury once and then again after the defendants’ closing argument. This can also be very important.

26 Unbreakable Rules of Litigation

#1 CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES

#2 CHOOSE THE VENUE

#3 BE THE PLAINTIFF

#4 HAVE THE BEST REPRESENTATION

#5 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

#6 DON’T LISTEN TO YOUR SICK STOMACH WHEN YOU’RE OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

#7 DON’T LISTEN TO RELATIVES, FRIENDS, ET AL

#8 LISTEN TO EXPERIENCED LITIGANTS – LIKE ME!

#9 GENERALLY SPEAKING, DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE COST (THIS IS VERY HARD!)

#10 BIG LAWSUITS ARE BETTER THAN SMALL ONES

#11 ELECT JURY TRIALS, AS OPPOSED TO A JUDGE ONLY

#12 PREPARATION (YOURS) IS EVERYTHING – KNOW THE FACTS

#13 PRACTICE DEPOSITIONS AND TRIALS

#14 IF YOU ARE THINKING OF A BETTER STRATEGY, GET A NEW LAWYER (NOT TRUE IN MY CASE)

#15 NEVER GIVE UP

#16 DON’T BE INTIMIDATED BY THE PROCESS

#17 USE MOCK TRIALS (PRETEND TRIALS YOU DO IN FRONT OF A HIRED JURY)

#18 DRESS SIMPLE AND CONSERVATIVELY IN COURT – NO JEWELRY EXCEPT A WEDDING BAND; WHITE SHIRT, PLAIN TIE AND DARK SUIT FOR MEN AND THE EQUIVALENT FOR WOMEN; SHORT GROOMED HAIR FOR MEN

#19 DON’T LOSE YOUR TEMPER IN COURT – IT’S OKAY TO CRY IF IT’S REAL

#20 HAVE YOUR SPOUSE IN THE FRONT ROW EVERY DAY. CHILDREN ALSO IF POSSIBLE. OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN SECOND ROW IS OKAY

#21 NO QUOTES TO THE PRESS OTHER THAN ‘WE BELIEVE IN OUR CASE AND THAT IS WHY WE WENT TO COURT’. YOUR WORDS CAN EASILY BE TURNED AROUND.

#22 WHEN YOU BREAK FOR LUNCH OR A RECESS, REMEMBER NEVER TALK IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE CASE – YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT OVERHEAR

#23 WHEN YOU FIND A LEGAL TEAM THAT WINS, STAY WITH THEM

#24 ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH, NO MATTER WHAT. THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.

#25 DURING VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITIONS AND IN COURT, LOOK AT THE CAMERA AND THE JURY. MAKE EYE CONTACT.

#26 WHEN TESTIFYING IN A DEPOSITION/TRIAL, IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER, SAY YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER

It’s a closed world of top litigators. Virtually all big law firms have good to super-good lawyers. All big law firms don’t have great litigators. You don’t always need a great lawyer, but sometime if you grow geometrically, you will.

Like any other project management, litigation must be managed. Unfortunately, like speech-giving, you become a great litigant by going through a learning curve.

I don’t mean you have to get involved in losing efforts (like making bad speeches so after some time you make good speeches) to get in a position to win in court. Large law firms will allow you to get ahead of the learning curve.

The Quantum Leap methodology talks ad nauseam about following your dreams. Life without dreams is like a bird with a broken wing – it can’t fly. I wrote this newsletter because sometimes you’ll need litigation to follow your dream.

Go out and kick some butt, and don’t let conventional wisdom keep you from achieving your dream.

Conventional wisdom says Don’t Litigate.

All high-performance people and the great organizations of the last one hundred years did and do litigate as I write this letter.

Don’t litigate frivolously – but don’t be afraid to either.

To Your Quantum Leap,

Daniel S. Pe?a, Sr.

About The Author

Mr. Pe?a turned $820 into $400 million market-valued energy company in 8 short years! Now he’s coaching others how to duplicate his success. Visit: http://www.danpena.com/docs/products.php

Youre in the attorneys office and you are about to sign a retainer agreement and enter into an agreement with the attorney, but do you really have a clear understanding of your agreement? Before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you would be wise to consider the following points.

(1) Read the attorney-client agreement
(2) Purpose of the agreement
(3) Financial terms of the agreement

Read the attorney-client agreement
As trivial as it may sound, it is imperative that you read the entire contract or attorney-client agreement before you sign it. Often times one may feel rushed or feel that the attorney-client agreement is just a standard form that all attorneys use. Although it may be true that the attorney-client agreement may be a common contract, the language in the contract may vary vastly from firm to firm. Therefore, it is important that you read the agreement to know exactly what you are agreeing to. Additionally, an attorney should give you as much time as you need to review the contract and answer any questions you may have. Further, you would be wise to get a copy of any agreement you sign before leaving the attorneys office.

Purpose of the agreement
The attorney-client retainer agreement sets forth the ground rules for the attorney and client relationship. It is also supposed to build good will between the client and attorney. However, this is not always the case. For example, when the attorney-client agreement is not fully explained to you or if it is written unfairly to benefit the attorney, it can create complications and negatively impact the attorney client relationship. Be sure you understand the ground rules of the agreement before you agree to it.

Financial terms and conditions
Be sure you fully understand the financial terms and conditions of the agreement before you sign it. The type of fee agreement may be contingent, hourly, flat, or a mix or combination of each. Other costs such as filing fees, photocopies, mailing and couriers, mileage and travel, parking, and telephone calls should be clarified. If the attorney charges per hour, you will want to review the minimum billing unit or minimum time increments you will be bill for a task. For example, some agreements may state you will be charged in bill units of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) or perhaps .25 of an hour (or 15 minutes). To further illustrate, if an attorney charges $200 an hour and bills in minimum increments of .25 an hour, a task that took an attorney one minute would cost you $50! In general, a bill unit of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) is common. The fee agreement should be fair, reasonable, and fully explained to you. If you have questions about the fee agreement, be sure to ask and get clarification before you sign it.

Attorney-client agreements lay out some important ground rules and financial terms and conditions for the attorney and client relationship and before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you will want to make sure you understand the agreement and its terms and conditions before you sign it.

2006 Child Custody Coach

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Wrongful death refers to a lawsuit which alleges that the victim was killed as a consequence of negligence or misdeed of another. Usually, wrongful death occurs as a result of personal injury accidents, medical malpractice, auto accidents, workplace accidents, dangerous or defective products, mesothelioma and other accidents. When the proximate cause of the wrongful death of the decedent roots from reckless, careless or negligent acts of another, his actions are often subject to personal injury and/or wrongful death suits.

The loss of a family member causes great pain, turmoil, as well as inconceivable loss of the family. In the stage of grieving, it is hard or impossible to function in everyday life and carry on, let alone think about making a wrongful death claim. This stage leaves the decedent?s family feeling powerless with so many questions unanswered. When you are ready to receive settlement or filing a wrongful death suit, an experienced wrongful death lawyer can be of great help. Though a wrongful death claim cannot replace your loss but it is as close to justice.

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of a person or a company, you may have the right to receive compensation from an insurance company or from the person or company responsible for said death. Surviving family members are strongly encouraged to immediately consult with a wrongful death lawyer to safeguard the critical evidence of the fatal accident and to avoid being estopped to institute a claim.

The immediate aftermath of a wrongful death is to hire the services of the right lawyer. Hiring an experienced wrongful death lawyer is a critical decision that may significantly affect the lives of the decedent?s family. Wrongful death lawyers appreciate the complexity in legal issues as well as the powerful emotional trauma absorbed in a wrongful death claim. Experienced wrongful death lawyers will vigilantly represent the rights of the victim while assisting the family members in a dependable and considerate manner by providing information regarding the practical and legal aspects of personal injury law and wrongful death claims including survivor actions, Social Security Disability and Windows Benefits.

To be able to show evidences that a wrongful death happened, an investigation in connection with the death shall be conducted. It is necessary that the wrongful death lawyer have the necessary resources to acquire records and reports as well as thorough information for successful case results. Clients should feel confident about their legal action. With the help of a diligent wrongful death lawyer, the process in recovering the reasonable compensation will be smoother.

Looking for tips and suggestions about legal matters, visit http://www.personalinjurylawyersinc.com.

Youre in the attorneys office and you are about to sign a retainer agreement and enter into an agreement with the attorney, but do you really have a clear understanding of your agreement? Before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you would be wise to consider the following points.

(1) Read the attorney-client agreement
(2) Purpose of the agreement
(3) Financial terms of the agreement

Read the attorney-client agreement
As trivial as it may sound, it is imperative that you read the entire contract or attorney-client agreement before you sign it. Often times one may feel rushed or feel that the attorney-client agreement is just a standard form that all attorneys use. Although it may be true that the attorney-client agreement may be a common contract, the language in the contract may vary vastly from firm to firm. Therefore, it is important that you read the agreement to know exactly what you are agreeing to. Additionally, an attorney should give you as much time as you need to review the contract and answer any questions you may have. Further, you would be wise to get a copy of any agreement you sign before leaving the attorneys office.

Purpose of the agreement
The attorney-client retainer agreement sets forth the ground rules for the attorney and client relationship. It is also supposed to build good will between the client and attorney. However, this is not always the case. For example, when the attorney-client agreement is not fully explained to you or if it is written unfairly to benefit the attorney, it can create complications and negatively impact the attorney client relationship. Be sure you understand the ground rules of the agreement before you agree to it.

Financial terms and conditions
Be sure you fully understand the financial terms and conditions of the agreement before you sign it. The type of fee agreement may be contingent, hourly, flat, or a mix or combination of each. Other costs such as filing fees, photocopies, mailing and couriers, mileage and travel, parking, and telephone calls should be clarified. If the attorney charges per hour, you will want to review the minimum billing unit or minimum time increments you will be bill for a task. For example, some agreements may state you will be charged in bill units of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) or perhaps .25 of an hour (or 15 minutes). To further illustrate, if an attorney charges $200 an hour and bills in minimum increments of .25 an hour, a task that took an attorney one minute would cost you $50! In general, a bill unit of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) is common. The fee agreement should be fair, reasonable, and fully explained to you. If you have questions about the fee agreement, be sure to ask and get clarification before you sign it.

Attorney-client agreements lay out some important ground rules and financial terms and conditions for the attorney and client relationship and before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you will want to make sure you understand the agreement and its terms and conditions before you sign it.

2006 Child Custody Coach

More articles at article database

Very often, a question is raised about what happens when someone accused of a crime does not know anything about defense procedures and is also unable to pay for the legal fees. In such cases, in New York, the Legal Aid Society?s Criminal Defense Division (CDD) comes to the aid of the accused. This division has a national reputation for excellence and is often cited as a model for other public defender offices. The Division assists clients in specialized courts that deal with domestic violence, mental illness, drug abuse and juvenile offenders. It also consults city and state officials on legislation and policy issues of importance to its clients, to securing system-wide reform through its Special Litigation Unit.

With trial offices in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, CDD has nearly 500 attorneys and regularly represents more than 200,000 clients annually, in cases ranging from disorderly conduct to first-degree murder. CDD attorneys share a strong commitment to ensuring that defendants receive excellent legal services and representation is not compromised because they cannot afford to hire an attorney.

This results in CDD attorneys frequently working round the clock. Their commitment is shared by talented and dedicated social workers, investigators and support staff, who work collaboratively with attorneys to ensure that the Division provides superior, client-centered legal and social work services.

The Special Litigation Unit (SLU) brings test case litigation and class action lawsuits in federal and state courts to protect the civil and constitutional rights of CDD clients. Successful litigation by the SLU has achieved significant reforms within the New York criminal justice system. The Unit has won New Yorkers accused of crimes the right to appear before a judge for arraignment within 24 hours of arrest, access to medical care following arrest, access to counsel when incarcerated and privacy in medical records.

Social workers and forensic social work assistants in CDD?s Defender Services Program provide client-centered alternative-to-incarceration plans that promote public safety by providing clients with vocational, educational, medical, psychiatric and drug treatment services.

There is a provision to also arrange for crisis intervention on behalf of clients who need emergency housing or public assistance, or medical, psychiatric or drug treatment interventions. The CDD also has special units to provide aid to juvenile delinquents and in cases where clients have a mental illness or chemical addiction to alcohol or drugs.

CDD?s Parole Revocation Defense Unit, which was created in 1972 and the first office of its type in the nation, provides both legal and social work services to clients who are facing a return to prison on charges they have violated the conditions of early release. Around 1500 parolees are represented every year by this unit.

Criminal Defense provides detailed information on Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Attorneys, White Collar Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Law and more. Criminal Defense is affiliated with San Diego Dui Laws.

Becoming a lawyer in todays society is a noble goal to undertake. There are many jokes about lawyers that we all have heard, but the truth is, it takes a lot of work to become a an attorney. Pursuing a career as an attorney allows one to experience the gift of helping people in ways that most people are unable to. If your heart ever goes out to struggling individuals legal battles, then this career may just be for you.

To get into law school, you must first have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. Unlike Medical school, there is not really a certain type of major that is required at this time of writing. Some may major in pre-law which focuses on the government, criminal justice and aspects of politics. But it would be perfectly fine to major in math or history. As long as your GPA is high enough to get into the college and your score well on the LSAT, then you increase your chances of getting into this field. Depending on what type of law you decide to study and the school you go to, requirements for your GPA will be different. For example, in you decide to go to Harvard Law School; your competition will be fierce because most of the people applying will have 4.0 GPAs. On the other hand, if you decide to go to a law school in Hawaii, the GPA requirements will be lower because most people will be trying to go to more recognized law schools. This is not to say that non Ivy League schools will not offer a wonderful education for any individual who is focused and determined. For example, the late Johnny Cochran did not got Harvard or Yale, but received his law degree from Loyola University School of Law in 1962. In 1977 he was named Criminal Trial lawyer of the Year. Cochrane later became one of the most sought after attorneys of his time.

Another point to mention is cost. Cost varies greatly depending on the affluence of the school. The tuition at Harvard is quoted on their website at 35,000 per year with an estimated 21,000 a year for living expenses. A law school in Hawaii is around 10,500 per year. Idaho is reported as one of the lowest with tuition cost of 6,700 per year. However, with inflation these costs are increasing each year. The Law college experience lasts three years currently. After this opportunities open up for Private Practice, Corporate Law, Military and teaching, just to name a few. This is an immense field and again, can offer some very rewarding experiences in your life if you choose to pursue this career.

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Information greatly affects the decisions you make – the more you know about the laws and penalties imposed by the State of Arizona on DUI offenders, the more unlikely you are to get behind the wheel after drinking.

If you are found have less than .08 percent alcohol in your blood at the time of your arrest, you are considered to be impaired to the slightest degree and will be sentenced to 10 days in jail (with nine days suspended provided you attend and complete an alcohol education seminar). You need to pay about $1,450 (minimum) in fines, but the judge can impose as much as $2,500 and send you to jail for six months. These penalties apply if your blood alcohol concentration is between .08 percent to less than .15 percent.

If your offense is more serious, and you are found to have .15 percent blood alcohol concentration, be prepared to spend more time in jail – 30 days, with 20 days suspended provided you finish alcohol screening and education and agree to equip your vehicle with an ignition interlock device. The judge can impose higher penalties, especially if it is your second offense. You can spend as much as 6 months in jail, pay much more than $2,500 in fees and surcharges and be subject to about 3 years of probation.

Remember that the State of Arizona does not have to prove that you have a blood alcohol concentration of at least .08 percent to convict you – if they find any trace of alcohol and prove that it impairs your ability to drive, you can be convicted. Be safe and do not drive when you’ve had drinks, even if it is just an ounce or two. Ask friends to drive you home, or hail a cab. When it comes to DUI, the old adage still makes sense – it is better to be safe than be sorry.

Arizona DUI Attorneys provides detailed information on Arizona DUI Attorneys, Arizona DUI Fines, Arizona DUI Defense, Arizona DUI Laws and more. Arizona DUI Attorneys is affiliated with Arizona DUI Penalties.

Invention help is available for a fee and a signed contract to split the profits. An invention submission company will take care of all the details.

The invention help expert will validate your invention through:

a. Internal project review or even new product feasibility assessment.

b. Product manufacturability assessment.

c. New product market assessment.

d. Intellectual property assessment or even prototype assessment.

Once through these, the next steps might be license agreement, patent management, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, fulfillment, project funding / financing, licensing and product development.

A caveat… Through media and web hype, many aspiring inventors identify invention submission companies or invention promotion companies as the best invention help. Not so. A number of invention submission corporations belong to the $300 million a year industry scam, according to MSNBC reports.

Stay updated. Read. Perform comprehensive research. Ask questions. Do background checks. Consistently verify.

You may well require expert invention help to get your invention from the drawing board to consumers at less cost. You may also need expert invention help to know your invention’s suitability.

Here are a few suggestions to get your invention help:

a. Get a patent lawyer.

Where? The USPTO, http://www.uspto.gov, United States Patent and Trademark Office. It examines and issues patents, as well as, examines and registers trademarks. The USPTO also brings a list of area registered patent attorneys and agents.

b. Call the bar association of your city. It may have a list of patent attorneys. A warning, carefully look through every reference of a prospective patent lawyer. Check each of their client roster and success percentage.

c. Keep abreast with the glossary of terms in filing for patents. They will come useful when terms of services and employment are discussed with the invention help.

d. Contact government advisory and private websites:

• USPTO; http://www.uspto.gov
• FTC, Federal Trade Commission; http://www.ftc.gov
• http://www.InventorEd.org and http://www.IPWatchDog.com

e. Ask questions. If legitimate, the invention submission company will address your concerns. Dont be easily impressed by invention help’s credentials. Verify the truth in advertising.

• Can you get a list and talk to their industry contacts?
• What is their success ratio? You can ask this under the 1999 American Inventor’s Protection Act.
• Can you get an endorsement list from private and government sectors?

Get the best invention help but be proactive and diligent with background checks. This way, the invention help scam industry won’t claim you as a statistic.

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The massive strikes by the National Union of Mineworkers in the year 1926 and then again in 1970 had crippled the country to no limit. While it succeeded in pulling down the government in 1926, it sent the economy into a tail spin in 1970. Although, now it looks a pretty much weakened, pale shadow of its former self, facing dwindling fortunes and irrelevance in the 1990s, one cannot forget the all out war it fought with the Margaret Thatcher government in 1984-85 with Aurther Scargill leading from the front.

NUM entered the year 1984 with its roll at 171,000 comrades. The great war of attrition, as it is now known, saw the strength reducing to paltry 13,000 by 1998. Today the head count stands at a low 9,300 what with only 8 deep mines producing nationally. The strength swayed up and down between then and now, 2001 from 13 thousand odd to a tad above 24 thousand and back to the present 15,320.

The Carrot Called Compensation

However, it is noteworthy that the recent upswing in the number has got nothing to do with the prevailing employment situation. With the winning of a High Court test case in the days between 1997 and 1998 by NACODS (South Wales), and the ruling against British Coal for being negligent about the workers’ diseases such as respiratory and vibration white fingers. The prospect of personal injury claims getting honoured at Courts saw a rush of workers wanting to join collieries.

Although, NUM was no longer seen as a scourge of the government, it is merrily occupying the position of friends of lawyers specialising in personal injury cases and was found busy regaining its lost wealth.

Membership Subscriptions at ?300?

Whomsoever wanted to make a claim were asked to pay a hefty membership subscription in addition to the mandatory admission fees. Ex-NUM and the retired mining workers were being admitted back to the union upon payment of an all time high of up to a maximum of ?300. Retired workers from Lancashire, South Derbyshire and Yorkshire were all admitted back to the union by collecting backdated subscriptions. The top carrot was to come in the form of assurance that the ?300 membership subscription would be deducted from the award whenever it came.

However, this gold rush was not without its share of controversies and disputes too. The controversy that the personal injury lawyers misled the miners has raged over a long time. Ironically, the union which stood for the cause of its member comrades for decades, was alleged to have been luring more memberships by funding their claim suits. Surprisingly the denial was to come from the solicitors, who were acting for individual members, that it wasn’t the case in majority of the cases.

It may be noted that no stones were left unturned in an effort to clarify their individual positions. Spokesmen for both the union as well as the law firm clarified that the funding from the union would have been necessary had the suits, in individual cases, were to be fought outside the agreement between the Government and the miners. The agreement was signed in 1999.

The Locus Standii

All having said and done, where does the litigations now stand? Of the 11,279 registered cases of vibration white finger and 44,642 of respiratory disease claims only 11 have been admitted for litigation by the Court, surprisingly all of them were from the former case. However, what was still unclear was whether the defendant was DTI or the private employer.

The author Alevoor Rajagopal had been writing on technical matters and in this avtar he gave up tags that confine to particular genre of writing. Rajgopal is a mechanical engineer and served the pharmaceutical industry. Oflate he has been putting his efforts in to creative art and healthcare writing. Here he looks up at options available to put life back on track. He can be contacted at http://alevoorrajgopal.blogspot.com/

In this day and age, it’s important to protect your rights in many different situations. Knowing when you require the professional services of a lawyer is important since many situations essentially demand it. Hiring a lawyer will typically cost you a large sum depending on the complexity and time required of your situation, so it is wise to understand when you really require legal services.

If you have been arrested or are being sued, contact a lawyer immediately. These types of situations are very cut and dry in terms of whether or not you need legal help. However, there are many of reasons other than existing legal problems that might be reason to hire a lawyer. For instance, if you are considering firing a problem employee from your business, you may want to consult a lawyer before you find yourself embroiled in a lawsuit.

If you’re unsure if you need legal advice or assistance, a good question to ask yourself is what have you got to lose? If the answer is money, freedom, or other rights, then getting a lawyer is a wise decision. Again, you may not be prepared quite yet to hire a lawyer for your situation, but at least consulting one on your rights is a wise decision. For instance, if you are in the process of getting an amicable divorce, you may want to consult a lawyer to see what your rights are but not necessarily get one involved.

Before contacting a lawyer, you should understand the scope of your situation. There are many different types of lawyers, each dealing with distinct types of legal problems and situations. While most will immediately let you know if you need to contact someone else, it is a good idea to have a grasp on whose expertise it is you need. There are plenty of online resources to help you decide what type of lawyer you need.

If you think you may need a lawyer, it is vital that you act quickly. Certain situations are very time sensitive, such as suing for injuries sustained in an accident. There is a specific amount of time you have to file a lawsuit, so even if you’re not sure what your course of action should be, consulting a lawyer is wise. They can help steer you in the right direction and let you know if they believe you have a strong case.

The legal world can be very confusing, frustrating, and frightening to many of us. Understanding what your rights are is the first step in resolving any issue, whether it’s criminal, business related, or anything in between. Finding a qualified lawyer is the best way to make sure someone is fighting for your rights.

Cynthia Bates is an Internet specialist, and periodically writes legal help articles for Legalspring.com.