When do you need a lawyer?
A lawyer can help you after you get into trouble, but the best time to consult one is before, not after, you have a legal problem. Never think of a lawyer as a “last resort".
Preventive law is often the most valuable service a lawyer can perform for you and those who depend on you. Here is a check list of events in which you should consider consulting your lawyer before you act:
- Buying or selling a home or other real estate;
- Buying, selling or leasing other property;
- Signing written contracts with major financial provisions or consequences;
- Having tax problems;
- Signing a will or having estate problems;
- Going into business;
- Organizing business associations, such as corporations or partnerships;
- Having an accident involving damage to persons or property;
- Dissolution of marriage, child custody problems, adoptions or other domestic matters;
- Filing bankruptcy; and
- Any matter concerning substantial change in your economic status.
Information provided by: Oregon State Bar
It is important for you to realize that changes may occur in any area of law. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding your particular problem, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney.
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How can you hold down your legal fees?
- Write down the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all persons involved and all facts you can recall that pertain to the case. Doing this yourself will cut down on the time the lawyer will have to spend gathering the information.
- Take any papers relating to the case to the first interview;
- Be as brief as possible in all interviews with the lawyer;
- Do not allow emotion to color the facts given; be as accurate as you can;
- Make a full and honest disclosure to the lawyer of all the facts...good or bad. The lawyer will keep all facts in strictest confidence; and
- Avoid unnecessary telephone calls to the lawyer.
You should consider the financial advantages or disadvantages of a proposed legal action by discussing it with the lawyer. For example, would the court costs and legal fees be more than the amount of a bad debt you would like to recover?
Get legal advice before signing documents or taking legal action, and then follow the advice of the lawyer.
This information is from the Oregon State Bar's Tel-law service, a collection of recorded legal information messages prepared by the lawyers of Oregon. In addition to being online, the Tel-law service is accessible by telephone at 503-620-3000 or toll-free in Oregon only, 1-800-452-4776. A touch tone phone allows direct access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To receive a free Tel-law brochure listing the subjects available call 503-620-0222, ext. 0.
It is important for you to realize that changes may occur in any area of law. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding your particular problem, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney.
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