Tag: Legal

8 Ways to Finance Legal Aide

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. One of the most significant costs one can accrue in their lifetime is legal fees. Individuals who find themselves on the wrong side of life’s events can find themselves in unforeseen legal battles which they often don’t know how to finance. The following contributed post is entitled, 8 Ways to Finance Legal Aide.

* * *

Image Credit: Free-Photos

It’s your worst nightmare – legal fees. But they don’t have to be scary. If you’re struggling to finance legal aid, try some of these cool ideas:

  1. Online legal aid: you can access legal advice online for low prices or even on trial memberships. You get to chat with an attorney online, or sometimes on the phone for a low price. There are many companies available, so do some web-surfing and find the best one for you. Some specialize, some are general. Decide what you need and shop around. Don’t automatically choose the cheapest one. Maybe a little bit more money will get you a better service. After all, you want the best advice tailored for your situation, and there are many fields of law out there. Get someone who knows the area of law you need them to know, and avoid one-size-fits-all legal advice.
  2. Legal Aid Society: the Legal Aid Society provides legal advice for low-income people. They offer free consultations and representation in court. They can’t help you with criminal cases (as you get legal representation as part of your constitutional rights during criminal law cases), but they cover everything under civil law. They run legal clinics that are entirely free and are always happy to help.
  3. Local attorneys: don’t dismiss your regular attorney’s office. Just because you’re low on funds doesn’t mean an attorney won’t help you. If you’re in the midwest, try the attorneys in Minot, ND. They may still be able to help you.
  4. Regular old bank loan: if all else fails, consider a standard loan. Your bank can lend you a given sum of money to cover legal costs, which you’d then have to pay off the same way you’d pay off your credit card or your car. The downside is that you’d have to wait for everything to be processed before you got any money, but maybe your attorney can work with that.
  5. Legal students: if you have any legal students in the family, perhaps they can help you with information and research. If they don’t know the answers, they’d be able to ask higher-level students or professors. This option won’t help you if you need court representation, but anyone working in or studying law might know someone who can take your case.
  6. Peer-to-peer loans: usually found online, peer-to-peer loan companies let you borrow and lend money amongst other ordinary citizens. You’ll still need a good credit score, but there are no banks involved. You have to keep up the payments to maintain your credit score, however.
  7. Use your credit card: for a one-off consultation, putting it on your credit card might work if all you need is some time to pay the bill.
  8. Insurance: certain kinds of insurance will cover legal expenses, like professional indemnity insurance and some types of pet insurance. Have a look at any policies you have and see what they will cover.

There are many ways of accessing legal aid when you need it. Don’t despair; work your way through this list until you find something that works for you.

What to Do When You Find Yourself in Need of Legal Help

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Health/Wellness. In certain instances, in our lives, legal assistance is necessary. Many individuals are caught of guard when they need it and it’s important to be prepared. The following contributed post is entitled, What to Do When You Find Yourself in Need of Legal Help.

* * *

There are many times in life when you may require legal advice. Some of these occasions might be when you just have a simple question that you want to know the answer too. Perhaps on these occasions, it can seem unnecessary to pay a lawyer for their time. However, there are also times when you might need some trustworthy advice about an important matter. This is when you will probably want to speak to a lawyer or legal expert. You can discover various ways to find the legal advice that you need so that you can make sure you do the right thing.

Ask Online

The internet has a broad range of resources, which can help you when you need legal advice. Some options may be more trustworthy than others, and some are static resources, while others allow you to ask questions. For example, you can find some forums and communities where people can ask for legal advice. Some people may claim to be lawyers or admit that they are not lawyers but share their knowledge anyway. These types of resources can be useful if you’re simply curious about something or even sometimes if you’re looking for initial guidance on what you should do.

Image from Pexels – Pexels License

Blogs and other online resources from legal experts can also be useful. It can also be a little easier to confirm that the information is coming from a reliable source. Some resources that might be helpful to read include blog posts and articles on legal websites. For example, NOLO provides information on a broad range of legal topics and also has a tool for finding a lawyer. If you’re looking for information about a specific topic, you might also find useful advice on websites concerning those topics. For example, the AARP may help you to learn about important topics concerning older adults.

If you have a specific question that you need an answer to, you can find reputable “ask a lawyer” websites, which you may find helpful. When looking for these websites, you can check who runs them and whether they have the credentials to give advice. They’re usually better than random forums and internet communities because not just anyone can offer advice. Some options include LawGuru and Avvo.com, which are both run by lawyers. These sites are a good way to get free advice, although it will only get you so far before you might need to hire a lawyer.

Seek Out Charities and Nonprofits Offering Advice

Another way to seek legal advice, often for free or at a low cost, is to look for charities and nonprofits that offer advice. Some of them may be general legal advice groups, while others might focus on helping with a particular topic or area of law. For example, some might be interested in helping with issues related to disability, others might provide maternity advice, support for workers or information about medical treatment. These resources can be a good option whether you are looking for general legal advice or you want to find information and advice from a group that specializes in a particular topic.

Get Advice Over the Phone

As well as finding legal advice online, you might also find it helpful to see if you can find any resources that you can access over the phone. There are some legal hotlines that can provide the advice that you need, especially if you are looking for information about a specific issue. For example, some hotlines are set up for victims of domestic abuse. You can find relevant hotlines to call by searching for one in your state. It’s important to find advice that is relevant to your location because the law can differ from one place to another.

Find the Right Attorney

Sometimes finding a lawyer for your situation is the best thing to do. Many lawyers can begin with a free consultation so that you can decide if they are the right option for your specific needs. Finding an attorney can take some careful consideration, so don’t rush into choosing the first person that you speak to. Firstly, consider looking for a lawyer who specializes in the area of law that you need help with. When you choose an attorney like Alex Hernandez Lawyer, you will have an expert on personal injury law who can help with cases such as car accidents, wrongful deaths, and more. Other attorneys can help you with employment law issues, criminal law, business law and many other areas.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

When deciding which lawyer to choose, you should check out their qualifications and credentials, as well as membership of professional organizations. You can ask lawyers questions about their knowledge and experience, and how they can help you with your case. Whether you’re looking for advice or you need someone to represent you, finding a lawyer who you’re happy with can ensure you get the right advice.

Look for Free Legal Clinics

There are various types of legal clinic that you can access if you’re looking for free or cheap legal advice. These include self-help legal aid clinics, which are designed to help pro se litigants, which is people who choose to represent themselves in court. These clinics, which are often provided by the state or local communities, may take questions in person or online. They can be useful resources for getting your questions answered by legal professionals without having to hire a lawyer.

Explore Legal Aid Funding Programs

Federally funded legal aid programs are another option for accessing legal advice and support. They provide help from lawyers and paralegals to eligible people, and they can offer help for a range of issues. They may be able to help you with divorce issues, employment issues, landlord and tenant problems and other common issues. You often need to have an income that is below the federal poverty line to qualify for this type of legal aid.

When you need legal advice and help, you can get it from a variety of different sources. There are both free and paid options available for different types of advice.

Three Times in Life When You Should Definitely Call Your Attorney

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and key focus is Health/Wellness. Throughout our lives there are times when unexpected things occur. Typically we think of illness, but there are also unforeseen legal crises. These crises require competent legal counsel. The following contributed post is entitled, Three Time in Life When You Should Definitely Call Your Attorney.

* * *

Sometimes life can be really challenging. When you find yourself in deep water, it can be hard to know when you should try to sort the situation out yourself, and when you need a lawyer in your corner.

Even if you are well aware that a lawyer’s help would be to your advantage, the high fees can be difficult to afford when you are already in a sticky situation.

Sometimes it does make sense to handle things for yourself. But in other more complex situations, it would be a mistake not to hire a legal professional. But how are you supposed to tell which situation falls into which category? These cut-and-dry scenarios will help you make an informed decision.

Image Source: Pexels CC0 Licence

You Are a Victim of Defamation

In the legal world, defamation law refers to the area of law which deals with people’s reputations, be it online or in the real world. If someone is publicly attacking your character, it can be extremely harmful for your future, so it’s important to take it extremely seriously. You can’t just tell someone to take back what they wrote about you in the newspaper or online because people have a right to express their views. Even if they did remove the article, you can’t be sure that there are no existing copies. To mitigate the damage that has been done and prevent no further damage to your career and financial future, it is essential that you get a lawyer’s help. An internet defamation attorney can help with one of the most tricky defamation cases, as they specialize in the removal of damaging online material.

You Are Charged With Criminal Activity

Even if you are completely innocent, being charged with a crime is one situation in which you absolutely must pick up the phone and call a lawyer. Do this before you speak to anybody else, as your words can be twisted by the accusers to be used against you. Do not—under any circumstances—make an attempt to defend your own case without the aid of legal representation. Even something that seems like a minor accusation can potentially impact your future in many negative ways that you haven’t even thought of yet. Everything from immigration to getting a loan to invest in property one day depends in some way on having a clean criminal record, so if you have been charged with a crime, it is imperative that you get a lawyer to help you clear your name.

Image Source: Pexels CC0 Licence

A Passenger Was Hurt When You Crashed Your Car

If you were unfortunate enough to have been involved in a motor collision while driving and somebody in either your car or the other vehicle was hurt in the accident, you will almost certainly need a lawyer. Legal representation becomes essential if the fault for the accident is assigned to you. This won’t necessarily mean that it was your fault, per say. It simply means that based on the evidence available to the insurance companies and police on the scene, you were the driver with the greater duty of care in the crash situation and are therefore liable. This is a complex situation with extremely serious consequences, so it’s important to have a good lawyer on your side.

Deciding whether to hire a lawyer is not always easy, but sometimes the decision is clear. These situations require a lawyer almost every time.

Making Your Legal Practice More Enticing To Prospective Clients

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. As with any field, the legal world is competitive. It’s thus important to understand how to set yourself apart from your competition. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Making Your Legal Practice More Enticing To Prospective Clients.

* * *

Running a successful legal business requires a lot of dedication and perseverance. It’s an industry that fosters fierce competition, so you need to continuously reinvent your business plan in order to help your practice grow. Still, it can be difficult to turn heads when there are so many other firms with highly professional teams of lawyers in the market. You need to be unique in order to stand out from the crowd. What can you do to make an impact on the target market? Well, in this article, we’re going to discuss some ways in which you could make your legal practice more enticing to prospective clients.

Picture Source

Focus on your company culture.
It’s easy to become laser-focused on clients when you run a law firm because your reputation is important. And it’s true that your clients are important – you need to become known for delivering an exceptional legal service to clients. People and businesses choose firms to represent them based on their success rate; it’s a highly competitive industry. But you need to start by improving your legal practice behind doors. You can’t deliver an exceptional service to clients and take the industry by surprise unless you have an exceptional team of attorneys to help you out. A strong workforce is important in any company, but law practices entirely depend on the legal expertise of their employees. You can’t just hire any average candidate, and you also can’t take your members of staff for granted (even if they are exceptional). You need to treat your team well and foster a strong company culture. Not all cases will be easy to solve, so you need employees who are going to work well together.

Additionally, you need a balanced workplace. Take a look at firms such as Ogletree Deakins which have taken huge strides forwards and achieved balance in terms of gender. This isn’t just to avoid workplace discrimination; it’s about creating a more diverse and varied work environment. In the legal industry, this is essential. Creativity is involved in unpacking many legal claims and protecting individuals. You don’t want a team full of employees who are carbon copies of one another. But it’s important that your team works together. You don’t want senior attorneys who make newer and less experienced attorneys feel stupid. This might cause newer members of staff to shy away from offering the full extent of their legal advice to clients because they’re afraid they’ll get something wrong. If your team is cooperative then everyone can learn from one another. In turn, you’ll create a team that can solve any legal problem or simply offer exceptional advice to clients by pooling together their expertise and experience.

Deliver customer service that is second-to-none.
Again, this is important for any business in any industry, but it’s particularly important for legal practices. As stated above, you need an exceptional reputation if potential clients are going to trust you, and this starts with you impressing your current customer base. For example, you need to understand clients on a personal level. In other words, keep the technical legal jargon in your head and try to relate to them on a human level. Understand their problem or their concerns, depending on the type of legal representation they need. You might even be able to offer a more appropriate type of legal coverage or protection if you get to know them and their situation more thoroughly. This will give you a reputation as a business that cares about its clients. In turn, you’ll be able to make your business look more enticing to prospective clients.

Picture Source

Project the right message.
Branding depends on more than a pretty logo. It’s about the message that a business presents to the target market. And in the legal industry, it’s vital to craft the perfect statement. As has been discussed throughout this article, reputation is important for legal practices. Clients put a lot of money and trust in attorneys. They’re not buying some menial and unimportant product; they’re buying a service that has value to them in more than just a monetary sense, whatever the field of practice in which you operate. A good rule of thumb is to keep quiet if you’re ever in doubt. Saying the wrong thing can really damage your company’s reputation. As a law firm, you are expected to say the right thing on behalf of your clients, so you need to prove that you can say the right thing on behalf of your own brand.