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WHAT ARE SOME REASONS WHY YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED TO CONTACT A ATTORNEY/ LAWYER?

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Presentation on theme: "WHAT ARE SOME REASONS WHY YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED TO CONTACT A ATTORNEY/ LAWYER?"— Presentation transcript:

1 WHAT ARE SOME REASONS WHY YOU THINK YOU MAY NEED TO CONTACT A ATTORNEY/ LAWYER?

2 ATTORNEY A person legally appointed by another to act as his or her agent in the transaction of business, specifically one qualified and licensed to act for plaintiffs and defendants in legal proceedings.

3 REASONS FOR A PERSON TO CONSULT AN ATTORNEY - buying or settling a home or other real estate - organizing a business - changing your family (for example, by divorce or adoption) - making a will or planning an estate - signing a large or important contract - handling accidents involving personal injury or property damage - defending a criminal charge or bringing a civil suit

4 TYPES OF ATTORNEYS A. Attorney-at-Law – Trained and Licensed to give you counsel or advice on legal matters B. Attorney-in-Fact – Authorized to act for another person “Power of Attorney”

5 KINDS OF LAWYERS Lawyer: One whose profession is to give legal advice and assistance to clients and represent them in court or in other legal matters A. Family Lawyer – To keep you out of litigation  (i.e. Contracts, Real Estate, Divorce, Adoption) B. Corporate Lawyer – Salaried employee of a company. Specialized in the area of importance to company C. Criminal Lawyer – Specialty of criminal statutes and procedures (Prosecution or Defense)

6 LAWYERS AND FEES A. Retainer – Down payment for a total fee required by lawyers B. Contingency Fee (1/3 of Damages) – fee attorneys take based instead of charging an hourly fee or lump sum. The free will be a percentage of what the client wins in the case. The client pays nothing but expenses if the case is lost. Common in personal injury cases. C. Pro Bono -Pro bono publico (usually shortened to pro bono) is a phrase derived from Latin meaning "for the public good". The term is generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment as a public service.

7 KINDS OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION Arbitration – both parties to a dispute agree to have another person listen to their arguments and make a decision for them. The arbitrator is like a judge, but the process is less formal than a trial. Arbiters, like judges, have the authority to make the final decision. Mediation – another method of alternative dispute resolution. It takes place when a third person helps the disputing parties talk about their problem and settle their differences. Unlike arbiters, mediators do not impose a decision on the parties. The agreement is the result of the parties’ willingness to listen carefully to each other and come up with a reasonable settlement. Negotiation – an informal process by which people involved in a dispute talk to each other about the problem. Sometimes people will hire lawyers to negotiate for them.

8 THOUGHTS….  In a situation where a couple gets a divorce, do you think it would be better to get a mediator or an arbiter?  What factors would you have to take into account when making your decision?


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