Legal Directory 2024

Situat ions that cal l for hir ing a lawyer

Situations in which people can benefit from legal advice and representation arise ever y day. Whether it ’s help writing a will or assistance closing a new home purchase, law yers can provide a host of invaluable ser vices to their clients.

Legal representation can be costly, and those costs might compel people to go it alone. However, there are many situations in which hiring a law yer is the appropriate move.

• Complex situations: A do -it-yourself approach might work with minor home improvement projec ts. However, that approach is rarely in a person’s best interest when a legal issue arises. That ’s because legal issues are of ten more complex than they seem due to nuances in laws. Understanding those nuances is the responsibility of a law yer and requires years of study. When a complex legal situation arises, the abilities of a law yer can make the difference between a successful outcome and one that puts individuals in jeopardy.

• Threat of incarceration: Law yers are vital in situations where incarceration is a potential outcome. Such situations do not only include instances in which people have been charged with violent crimes, but also crimes involving tax issues, domestic problems and incidents involving motor vehicles.

• Injured par ties: Any legal situation in which someone has been injured requires the ser vices of a law yer. Whether you’ve been hur t or have been accused of hur ting someone or have had someone suffer an injur y at your home or in your business, it ’s best to hire legal representation immediately.

• The death of a loved one: Law yers can help the families of recently deceased individuals navigate the potentially complex allocation of that person’s estate. For example, law yers who specialize in probate law can ensure all tax obligations are met and can offer insight and exper tise on how to handle any disputes that may arise regarding

the deceased individual’s will and assets.

• Ex tensive estate planning: Law yers who specialize in estate planning are of ten mistaken as being the same as probate law yers. But that ’s not necessarily the case. Though some law yers provide both estate planning and probate ser vices, those ser vices are different. Probate attorneys handle the administration of an estate af ter a client dies. Estate planning attorneys work with living clients who want to draf t their wills and ensure their assets are allocated according to their preferences af ter they die. Individuals with large and/or complex estates can work with estate planning attorneys to establish trusts and create ex tensive asset distribution plans for people who have multiple heirs and beneficiaries in their wills.

These are just a handful of the many situations in which individuals can rely on attorneys to help navigate potentially complex issues.

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