If you’re at the beginning of your divorce process, you may be considering representing yourself instead of hiring a lawyer, thinking you’ll save time and money by doing so. If your marriage was very short, if both of you are committed to ending your marriage without a legal or financial battle, if you have no children or assets, and if neither of you wants or needs to receive spousal support (alimony) from the other, then you may be able to process your own divorce using a kit or online tools.

However, most people find divorce to be a complicated and confusing process, and they’re grateful to have an experienced family lawyer to help guide them through it. You’ll need to make a lot of decisions that will affect the rest of your life – at a time when emotions may overwhelm your ability to think clearly. So although not everyone needs a divorce lawyer, obtaining a good one is often in your best interests – especially if your divorce is complicated, contested, involves children, you have significant assets, or if your soon-to-be ex-spouse has hired a divorce lawyer.

Here are five reasons to consider hiring a divorce lawyer rather than representing yourself in court.

1. You are unfamiliar with matrimonial law and/or family court

In court, self-represented litigants are not given any special treatment; judges hold them to the same standards as the lawyer for the other side. Most judges are fairly patient people, but if you don’t know the law – or what documents you need, or even what to do next – you may be pushing the judge’s patience past the breaking point. The more annoyed a judge is, the less sympathetic he/she is likely to be. Family lawyers are experts in knowing what to say to make their case seem more reasonable than yours. Lawyers who focus on areas outside family law hire a family lawyer when they’re getting a divorce; they recognize that they’ll be out of their depth when faced with a lawyer who practices family law exclusively. So it’s extremely unlikely that you’ll be able to adequately prepare to face the court process – and your spouse’s lawyer – by yourself. To make matters worse, you can jeopardize your entire case by saying or doing just one thing wrong.

2. You need objective advice at this emotional time

Divorce is an extremely emotional time for both spouses. You may experience feelings of sadness, betrayal, fear, depression, rage, confusion, and resignation – sometimes all on the same day! This level of heightened emotions, and the fact that you cannot possibly be objective about your case, will skew your judgement. Very few people have had the time or the willingness to work through their emotions about their soon-to-be ex-spouse during the divorce process, which will hinder their ability to work productively with the other side to resolve important matters. If you’re thinking of representing yourself, you need to be aware that your emotional state may prevent you from making wise decisions about the future.…

If it’s something that you could’ve predicted from a mile away or if it’s something that came as a total shock to you, when the time does come for you to hire a lawyer, you might feel really uncomfortable. Maybe you’ve never been inside of a courtroom or even to a courthouse. Maybe you’ve never received a legal document before. Maybe you don’t even know what a legal document looks like. It’s completely normal to feel unsure, nervous or even scared when faced with any kind of legal dispute because it is unknown territory to you.

However, hiring a lawyer doesn’t have to be something scary or something that you’re uncomfortable with. Here are some tips to help guide you as to what you can expect from hiring legal counsel, and why you should consider hiring a lawyer. The reality is that if you don’t hire a lawyer in a situation where you really do need one, then that could turn into a nightmare and you could be walking into something that has serious repercussions that you’ll be paying for in the long run.

The first benefit of hiring a lawyer is the obvious: we know the law. Lawyers are trained and experienced to study the relevant laws for a particular situation. There are a lot of different cases to which different laws and procedures apply. For example, a civil case is different from a criminal case which is different from a divorce case which is different from an immigration case. You should look for the right kind of lawyer for your particular situation because the lawyer knows which laws are going to apply, and more importantly which laws are going to help or hurt you in your particular situation.

The next benefit of hiring a lawyer is that the lawyer acts as your advocate and your defender throughout the entire legal process so that you’re not going through this alone. A lawyer should be an experienced professional who is on your side that’s going to walk you through the entire procedure, which might be as minor as making some phone calls to the other side’s lawyer, or may be as complicated as having to go to court, or even attend a trial. Apart from the trial and some other key hearings, hiring a lawyer means you don’t have to go to court, because the lawyer representing you will do the dirty work for you and attend court hearings and handle all of that on your behalf. By hiring a lawyer, you won’t have to take off time from work nor take time away from your family or your friends to deal with whatever legal headache is upon you.

Also, its important to note that if you try to go into the courtroom as a pro se litigant (which means you’re representing yourself) the judge is going to treat you as if you are your own attorney. That kind of treatment could backfire for your and your case in that means you have to comply with all of the legal technicalities that apply to your case, including the procedures that are following in and out of the courtroom (this could be anything from how many days you have to respond to a motion or how long a trial is to the specific words you’re supposed to use when addressing the judge and addressing a courtroom).…

Deciding to get a divorce from your spouse is a life-changing decision; one that can have far-reaching effects on the rest of your life.  So, you (or your spouse) decide to get a divorce; but what do you do next? Now you’re faced with another tough decision—to hire or not to hire an attorney.  Deciding to hire an attorney is a daunting task; you have to figure out who to hire and how much it is going to cost, for starters. You may even be wondering if hiring an attorney is even worth it; people represent themselves in divorce proceedings all the time, don’t they?   While appearing pro se (the legal term for representing yourself) is common in divorce cases, you should think about it like having an issue with the plumbing at your home. Sure, you could probably fix it yourself with a little help from the internet, and it may turn out okay…or the problem may end up a complete disaster, who knows? On the other hand, you could hire a plumber who will make sure that the problem is fixed quickly and effectively.  The same idea applies to hiring a divorce attorney.

Here is a list of 10 reasons why you should hire a divorce attorney:

1.You want someone who is on your side.

Going through a divorce is stressful; not only do you have to deal with the divorce itself, but you also have to deal with the reactions of your friends, your neighbors, your family.  It can be overwhelming trying to adjust to the changes you are making in your life, and it may feel like you have no one to turn to for guidance. Having an attorney can help. A good divorce attorney will not only help you with your legal issues, he or she will also provide you with a source of support and advice to assist you with making sound decisions.

2. You want someone who can explain the law.

The law is complex and filled with tiny, important details that are easy to miss for someone who is not familiar with the law. Much of the language used in statutes and court orders have special meanings that are specific to the law and differ from their everyday usage.  Hiring an attorney means that you have someone who is intimately familiar with the law that will govern your divorce. An attorney will be able to help you understand the meaning of statutes and court orders and how they apply to your situation.

3. An attorney will help ensure everything is fair.

One of the biggest concerns in divorce proceedings is fairness.  The main focus of many divorces is how property or assets are going to be divided between the parties. There are also concerns about whether you or your spouse should receive alimony or who will make child support payments if necessary. Divorce attorneys deal with those concerns on a daily basis, and they know how to ensure that the dealings between the spouses remains fair.…

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Attorneys starting a law firm after working for others need to begin with a vision that encompasses the types of legal services they will provide, the way they will relate to clients, and how much they expect to earn from their business. A well-thought-out vision and a realistic law firm business plan will guide your choices as you establish and grow your business and legal services. Here are some ideas for thinking through that vision.

IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITIES

For some attorneys – a patent law specialist in Silicon Valley, a divorce lawyer in Hollywood, an estate planner in an upper-middle-class suburb populated by baby boomers – choosing the core of their new practice is easy. But legal technology makes it possible today for attorneys to cast a wider net, practicing over a larger geographic area and expanding into other specialties. If you are contemplating starting a law firm on your own, you should take a realistic inventory of your own strengths and interests, as well as the population demographics and the types of businesses in your area when formulating a law firm marketing plan. With the right legal technology in place, it’s possible to think creatively about geographic areas and specialties that may be growth opportunities once your boutique law firm gets started.

Small law firms have to be smart about identifying and seizing opportunities, such as with business incorporations and transactional law. The economic turmoil that began in 2008 has caused a lot of people to reevaluate their priorities and hopes for the future. As the promise of guaranteed lifetime employment fades, many individuals have considered starting their own businesses. These new businesses are looking to small law firms to provide expert guidance in an efficient and friendly manner. So small law firm business lawyers who seek to build or broaden their practices should not overlook the potential clients in their own backyard. These attorneys know the communities in which their clients are operating and have a good feel for the importance of building long-term relationships with those clients.

As you think about your potential niche, consider the following advice from Nicholas Wells, an intellectual property attorney with Kirton McConkie, a Salt Lake City legal services firm.

1. Start with who you are

The obvious choice is the subject that most interests you. But consider also your personality, likes, and dislikes. Do you prefer doing legal research to handling emotional confrontations? Don’t go into family law. Speak another language? Consider immigration law. Love sailing? How about admiralty? Hate public speaking? Don’t become a litigator.

The benefit of starting a law firm is that you can tailor your practice to your personal strengths and make your professional life exactly what you want it to be – something that can be very difficult at a larger firm.

2. Consider geography and economics

Some niches work better in certain locations. Use your preferred location as a guide to suggest areas where you can succeed, such as practicing oil and gas law in Texas, copyright law in Los Angeles, corporate law in Nevada or Delaware, or elder law in Florida.…

When it comes time to hire a lawyer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. You don’t normally have to employ legal counsel, so how do you know who you should call? Choosing from the many lawyers in Melbourne doesn’t have to be complicated, but you should have some guiding principles. While most lawyers look the same on the surface, they’re not all alike. Choosing the best lawyer is all about finding a person who has the skill and experience to handle your specific case, and with whom you can also feel comfortable. Here are some tips to help you make the best decision.

Ask for Recommendations

Assuming you need a lawyer to handle a matter that won’t bring you embarrassment, you might begin by asking your friends and family for recommendations. Some of the best lawyers in Melbourne operate almost entirely on referrals. They do good work for people who eventually tell their friends and family about them. Chances are high that someone in your circle has used a lawyer and can tell you what it’s like to work with that professional. If you’re facing a potentially embarrassing criminal charge, then perhaps you won’t want to reveal this to your friends. If it’s something more routine, starting with those you trust is a good strategy.

Look for Lawyers with Expertise in Your Specific Area of Need

Some lawyers bill themselves as generalists, meaning they try to handle everything that comes through the door. They might do some car crash cases, some criminal defense cases, and some wills and trusts. Other lawyers choose to handle specific types of cases. You should look for a lawyer who has some specific experience in your area of need. For example, if you’ve been charged with a crime, it doesn’t make sense to choose a lawyer who mostly helps small businesses. When you meet with lawyers in Melbourne, make sure you ask them about their experience with different kinds of cases.

Choose a Lawyer You Feel Comfortable With

Many clients have complaints about lawyers who fail to live up to their high standards. They claim that the lawyer didn’t call them back, didn’t listen to them or didn’t seem to take their issues seriously. When you meet with new potential lawyers, make sure you develop a level of comfort with them. The best lawyers will do the following:

 

• Call or email you back as soon as possible

• Pass important information on to you as soon as they get it

• Ask you for input on big decisions

• Recognize that your case is ultimately about you and your needs

Look for Strategic Thinkers

You should look for lawyers who will think their way through every case. A good lawyer will see your case as a puzzle with many potential solutions. They’ll be able to think through the puzzle, coming up with as many solutions and possible outcomes as possible. When you first meet with a potential lawyer, ask them how they would think through your case and listen to them talk through it.…

When you apply for a driver’s license, you must pass a test of your knowledge of the traffic laws and rules of the road that you learned from studying a driver’s manual. When you open a small business, no one hands you a manual to study in order to learn fundamental principles of law pertaining to contracts, employment, taxation, employee benefits and other legal issues that routinely arise in business.

Small business owners need to be able to recognize when an activity related to their business requires the assistance of a lawyer. Just as you learned from studying the driver’s manual that you must come to a complete stop when you approach a red, octagonally shaped sign; the seven essential legal tips that follow can help you recognize when to contact a business law attorney for advice and representation.

A verbal contract can be as binding and enforceable as a written one

Contracts are the backbone of the business world. Every time you call a supplier and request a delivery of goods creates a contract that is as valid as a 15-page written and signed document. The problem with verbal agreements has to do with proving what the parties agreed to should it become necessary to go to court to enforce them.

Written contracts avoid disputes over the terms of an agreement. Besides, the law requires that the following types of transactions must be in writing:

·         Agreements for the sale of goods having a value of $500 or more.

·         Agreements for the sale or transfer of real property.

·         Agreements that cannot be fully performed and completed within one year.

Contract laws vary from one state to another, so speak with a business law attorney at Herrig & Vogt about formalizing agreements related to your business.

Select and form a business entity

Deciding on the structure of your business should be the first thing you do when starting a business. The most common forms of business structures are the following:

·         Sole proprietorship.

·         Partnership.

·         Corporation.

·         Limited liability company.

The type of structure you choose will affect how decisions are made, how taxes are paid and the extent of the personal liability of owners for the debts and liabilities of the business. For example, a sole proprietorship is easy to set up and operate, but the personal assets of the owner may be seized to satisfy liabilities related to operation of the business. Talk to an attorney about the structure that is best for your business.

Take steps to protect intellectual property

Turning the name and logo of your business into a brand to attract and retain customers takes time, effort and the expenditure of money that can be lost when used by another business without your permission. This is only one example of the importance of taking steps to protect your rights to intellectual property through patents, trademarks and copyrights.

A consultation with an attorney can identify intellectual property concerns and address them before problems arise.…

Types of Law firms: Variety and Specialty

While there are numerous large law firms across the United States that can tackle almost every legal challenge possible, there are thousands of individual firms across the country that operate in specific areas of US law. From finance to criminal defense, our legal system is extensive, complex, and varied, resulting in a multitude of specialist law firms.

 

Whether you’re looking for legal help or searching for employment, it’s important to understand the differences between all these varieties of US law firms. Take a look at this handy guide to some of the most common law firms in the United States.

Wall Street

Wall Street is home to some of the biggest and most notorious law firms in the world, including Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. New York now has thousands of law firms and attorneys and makes up a significant portion of the nation’s legal market.

Despite being based in New York, many firms work with clients from all over the world, dealing with financial and banking matters. Wall Street legal firms are prestigious, making it harder for young graduates to make their way up the ladder – but when they do, it’s certainly rewarding.

Small and Regional

Smaller, more regional firms have a drastically different hierarchical structure and culture to New York firms. Typically, these slower-paced, smaller firms will work with companies and clients across their local area and state. This does not mean, however, that their remit is limited.

Smaller legal firms have to adapt to more specialized legal markets in their states, and will work on a variety of issues from banking and finance to government and regulation.

Solo

All firms start somewhere, and usually, it’s a result of one attorney deciding to ‘go it alone. A solo legal firm is run by one lawyer, and may often provide services in multiple areas of law. Some solo firms may also practice in one specialized area of the law.

A solo firm’s services will typically cost less but will be able to provide high-quality services as a result of hiring paralegals and other legal professionals to assist with the workload.

Criminal

Owing to the complexities of criminal law, many firms across the United States (and indeed the rest of the world) will specialize in providing only criminal law services. Clients will request legal representation for court cases that relate to some form of criminal activity.

Criminal attorneys will often work with other local attorneys and have a knowledge of the most prominent judges in the state and region.

Public defenders are available, but given that clients are often fighting to stay out of prison, a criminal attorney will have extensive experience and a huge deal of knowledge of criminal law.

Transactional

Transactional practice is used when two disputing parties want to stay out of court. Research, preparation, and extensive reviewing of documents and contracts will take place, allowing companies to settle their disputes or go ahead with acquisitions or company mergers.…

‘Attorney” is not only a title—it is a responsibility.

“As officers of the court, lawyers must not only, in fact, be of good moral character but must also be seen to be of good moral character in leading lives in accordance with the highest moral standards of the community. More specifically, a member of the bar and officer of the court is not only required to refrain from adulterous relationships or the keeping of mistresses [Toledo v. Toledo, 75 SCRA 747 (1963)] but must also behave himself as to avoid scandalizing the public by creating the belief that he is flouting those moral standards” (Tolosa v. Cargo, 171 SCRA 21 [1989]).

A lawyer shall always conduct himself ethically and morally. The best way a lawyer can uphold the integrity and dignity of the legal profession is not to engage in any conduct or do any act that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor to behave, in his public or private life, in a scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal profession (Rule 17.03, Code of Professional Responsibility). He should instead endeavor to conduct himself at all times in such a way as to give credit to the legal profession and to inspire the confidence, respect, and trust of his clients and the community. (Comments of IBP Committee that drafted the Code, p. 37) It is a fair characterization of the lawyer’s responsibility in our society that he stands “as a shield” in the defense of rights and to ward off wrong. From the profession charged with these responsibilities, there must be expected those qualities of truth-speaking, of a high sense of honor, of granite discretion, of the strictest observance of fiduciary responsibility, that have throughout the centuries been compendiously described as “moral character” (Ibid, p. 37).

Some lawyers have taken the forbidden path and, as a consequence, have been disciplined or deprived of their privilege to practice law. Among those acts that adversely reflect on the lawyer’s fitness to practice law, which justifies suspension from a practice or disbarment include gross immorality. Gross immorality is reflective of unfitness to practice.

An act of personal immorality on the part of a lawyer in his private relationship with the opposite sex may put his moral character in doubt. However, to justify suspension or disbarment, the act must not only be immoral; it must be grossly immoral as well. A grossly immoral act is one that is so corrupt and false as to constitute a criminal act or so unprincipled or disgraceful as to be reprehensible to a high degree. It has been held that a lawyer is guilty of gross immorality, which justifies denial of his application to take the lawyer’s oath or, after his admission, his suspension or disbarment, where he lives an adulterous life with a married woman (Cordova v. Cordova, 179 SCRA 837 [1989]), or abandons his lawful wife to live with another woman (Obusan v. Obusan, 128 SCRA 485 [1984]).…

3 Easy Steps to Recruit Jobs in the Cattle Industry:

1) Needs assessment.

This is the first step. You will want to find out if people in your area are going into farm jobs or jobs in the cattle industry and what kind of qualifications they have for these types of positions. If you can’t do a survey yourself, there are plenty of surveys available online from reputable sources.

Once you know which employers need workers most often within your community, it’s time to reach out! Find out different places where one could send their resume to be considered for employment opportunities.

Explore different avenues of recruitment, which include mailers, social media postings, and flyers. You will need to decide what works best for your specific community

This blog post serves as an example of how you can find out more information about the cattle industry by reading our previous blogs! If you are looking into making a career change or want to know more about this growing field, continue reading this post. It is also crucial that one reaches out to an agent if they have any questions. They are happy to help in any way possible with anything related to recruiting Cattle Industry jobs.

2) Outreach.

This is the next step of how to recruit jobs in the cattle industry. You’ll want to put together a list of potential employers who may need someone like you and get your resume out there!

One great way for this would be through direct contact or networking with people working at these places. If you don’t know anyone personally who works at any place you’re considering applying to, start looking into different social media platforms where others share their experiences on what it’s like working at particular companies. This might help give some insight into whether or not they’d be right for you!

Networking can also be helpful when trying to find job leads if this isn’t available through personal contacts already established – look up professional associations related to your industry and see if any of them have a job board or list employment opportunities.

These are great places to learn more about what’s going on in your industry, as well as different job openings that might be a perfect fit for you.

Some other places that may be helpful include trade shows, career fairs, professional conferences, cattle association meetings, for example. Significant agricultural associations can also help you find contacts at various companies they do business with as well – it’s a great way to connect!

Don’t forget about old-fashioned word of mouth either – ask friends and family members who work in this particular field if they know anyone else who could introduce you! You never know what connections might turn up from these types of people, too, because sometimes those are the best sources since their advice comes straight from personal experience rather than just information gathering through research online.…

Attorneys Should Make Their Clients Feel Comfortable

Many, though not all, divorcing clients experience various emotions when their marriage ends, such as fear, anger, hurt, anxiety, or even depression. They may have to endure constant conflict at home; they may be losing sleep or have deep concerns about how their children will handle the impending divorce news.

As a result of the emotions surrounding a breakup, divorce clients are not generally at their best. Attorneys need to keep this in mind as they approach the first client meeting.

Lawyers should try to make their divorce clients as comfortable as possible, which may require the following:

• compassion—attorneys are not therapists, but they should be sensitive to their client’s emotional state
• clear and careful explanations of things—instead of rattling off complex legal theories, statutes, and case law, attorneys should explain the process to the client
• avoid excessive legal jargon—it may be a challenge for some clients to understand complex legal terminology, and
• handouts—divorce clients may have difficulty concentrating or remembering everything a lawyer says during a meeting. It’s helpful for the attorney to provide pen and paper for notetaking or handouts that include the topics discussed during the meeting.

Clients Should Make Sure Their Attorney Is Competent

If you’re going through a divorce and working with an attorney, make sure the attorney you’ve chosen to speak with is experienced and competent. Before you meet with the attorney, look for reviews online and check with the state bar associations to see if past clients have filed cases of professional misconduct against the attorney.

Also, the attorney’s experience must match your needs. Are you in a complicated, international custody battle? Then make sure the attorney you plan to speak to has been practicing custody for several years. Are you the spouse of a wildly successful venture capital investor? Then make sure your attorney has the know-how to handle the complicated financial analysis that is sure to be a major part of your case. A complex divorce may require an attorney who has practiced law for several years.

On the other hand, if you have a simple divorce (no children or assets), a younger attorney may meet all your needs. You can check with the state bar association to determine how long the attorney has practiced law in your state. If you ask the attorney to list prior experience and the attorney doesn’t answer, it might not be a good fit.

You should find an attorney with whom you can carry on a good working relationship. After all, you may be spending a significant amount of time together. Plus, you’re going to be making life-changing decisions in your divorce, so you want an attorney that you can trust and someone who can explain your rights, responsibilities, and options clearly.

If you’re worried about forgetting everything your attorney says, it may be a good idea to ask for recap emails summarizing your meetings. However, this can become expensive (remember, attorneys charge for their time). If that’s not practical, take notes during meetings so you’ll remember any tasks your attorney asked you to complete, and you can take the next steps without excessive follow-up calls or emails.…