5 Times When Hiring an Attorney is Simply the Smart Thing to Do

While representing yourself in legal battles might save you money on attorney fees, there are some cases when you simply cannot afford to lose. That’s when you need the expertise and legal firepower only a lawyer can give. Here are the top five times when it makes good sense to lawyer up.

There are many instances where you can successfully represent yourself and hold on to all of the attached compensation and avoid having to pay a handsome percentage to your attorney. If you ever find yourself in situations like that, we’d recommend you go for it.

Some people hold on to the assumption that the only time you ever need attorney representation is when you need defence in a criminal matter. However, in important or complicated situations, you should hire an attorney instead of representing yourself if you ever hope to come out of court smiling. And that is regardless of the amount of information you have or how strongly optimistic you are about the case.

Here are 5 such instances when hiring an attorney is better than standing in for yourself.

When You Need Criminal Defence

Even though it is possible to represent yourself in a criminal case, hiring an attorney increases the chances of a better outcome. Criminal convictions can make the difference between being free and spending time behind bars, or getting a job and being unemployed.

Professional criminal defence attorneys have the perseverance and necessary legal knowledge to protect you from unfair claims by prosecutors. They will also examine the evidence presented in court by the other side to make sure it is in compliance with the law and pertain to the charges against you. In addition, a defence attorney can help to lessen the severity of penalties, by determining and suggesting a fair sentence if the defendant is found guilty.

When You Need To Handle Complex Legal Business Issues

Legal business issues are sensitive. So, while you can name a business and claim a trademark on your own, there are other more complex issues you would be better off leaving to an attorney.

You might not need the services of a lawyer to file articles of incorporation, but you will require the services of an attorney to handle the complex administrative side of managing both tax and legal requirements.

Also, the process of filing a patent can be significantly smoother with the help of a patent attorney. This is because your legal representative can evaluate your product and determine if patenting your product will provide you with a real marketing advantage.

Lawyers can also help with lawsuits from current and former employees or customers, negotiations of sale agreements, lease agreements, and so on.

When You Need a Divorce

Getting a divorce or dissolving a civil partnership can be an emotional, difficult and complicated process. At such a time, you need to have someone on your side who understands the process and can objectively go through the necessary procedures for you.

A divorce lawyer will provide the support you need and offer professional and reliable advice about the important things like what happens to your children, your home and your finances going forward.

In addition, the lawyer can function as a go-between for you and your spouse so that if physical contact is difficult for you, it can be successfully avoided. At the same time, your lawyer can still take care of necessary issues such as determining spousal support and benefits, helping with custody plans, accounting for marital assets, property division, and so on.

Also, they will work to make the divorce as simple and as stress-free as possible, letting you know what your rights are and helping you understand your partner’s rights too.

When You Need a Will or a Trust

Writing a will or trust is a simple process but the littlest mistake can potentially void the will or trust totally. It is therefore better to hire an expert estate planning attorney to draft the documents you need.

Certain formalities must be observed when signing a will, trust or power of attorney and very specific laws apply to the contents of a will, who can be a witness or even a trustee. Working with a professional trained to handle such situations correctly will help you avoid costly, sometimes irreversible damage to your inheritance.

Estate lawyers can assist with complex family or financial situations, and offer expert counselling in unique situations such as if you have no children, minor children or problem children, if you own one or more businesses, if you want to leave a part of your inheritance to charity, and so on. Failing to use an attorney might lead to a situation where your inheritance falls into the wrong hands.

When You Need To File For Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy can be an extremely stressful situation, and going through that amount of stress without getting the most benefit out of it will happen if you ignore the help of an attorney.

A bankruptcy attorney can help you save money and stress, and ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Bankruptcy paperwork must be correctly filled out or you run the risk of your debts left without getting cancelled. The best way to ensure successful bankruptcy procedure is to hire a lawyer with the experience to help you.

Your representation in legal cases should be left to the professionals, especially when the stakes are high. However, if you still choose to represent yourself, you could hire an attorney as a counsellor so that you are not entirely without help.