Legal and Lawyers

What do Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and cheap lawyers have in common? A dumb question to be sure, as there is no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny or cheap lawyers; however if you have a legal problem and you need to get it fixed, there are some alternatives to consider before you give a lawyer a retainer.

Paralegals

When talking to a paralegal they cannot give you specific legal advise, but they can talk to you in general terms, and you might be surprised at some of the solutions they might suggest that you as a lay person might not even be aware are available, like talking to the Small Business Administration if you have problems with your business. SBA offices will often times have retired lawyers that they can refer you to get free advise. SBA offices usually have libraries with lots of reference tools that you can use.

Legal Forms Online

One resource that you might consider is Nolo.com which provides many legal forms that you can fill out yourself; many times if the item under consideration is straightforward this can be a simple and easy solution. They also provide articles, many are very topical such as using bankruptcy to avoid or forestall foreclosure of your home. They also have forms for simple wills and simple incorporations.

Mediators

Many times both parties would if possible like to avoid going to court and a mediator might be a solution that works for your circumstances. Divorces in particular using this strategy might save you thousands of dollars, which in this taxing emotional period not introducing or enlarging existing money problems can make a bad situation, a little more bearable.

There is always going to be a need for lawyers and figuring out when is always going to be tricky. Many lawyers will answer some questions for you for free to see if you do need there services, others might charge a small consultation fee. If you do need a lawyer, looking for a cheap one might actually cost you more money in the long run!

This is not legal advice and should not be acted on as legal advice. This is general information for you to consider. If you have legal question get legal help from a licensed attorney or paralegal.