When to ask an attorney for legal advice?

No doubt you’ve been put in the following position (probably several times a year): You’re at a party or family event, and a friend or relative approaches you with a simple legal question. They preface the question by telling you that it’s a minor situation so it won’t take you long to answer.

How to respond to a letter from a lawyer?

Even if it is a lawyer who authored the letter, do not immediately assume that the letter has merit and that you are in the wrong. Instead: a. Determine whether the sender has specified a time by which she expects you to comply with her wishes.

Where can I find a good lawyer for me?

Besides asking your friends and family for the name of a good lawyer or checking the phone book, you can find legal aid online. Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – Find legal aid for low-income individuals and families.

Can a non-client give you legal advice?

Rather than put yourself at risk, make it clear to the non-client that though you are unable to offer them legal advice, you can refer them to legal resources intended to help those who maybe cannot afford representation. Communication is key in these interactions.

No doubt you’ve been put in the following position (probably several times a year): You’re at a party or family event, and a friend or relative approaches you with a simple legal question. They preface the question by telling you that it’s a minor situation so it won’t take you long to answer.

Even if it is a lawyer who authored the letter, do not immediately assume that the letter has merit and that you are in the wrong. Instead: a. Determine whether the sender has specified a time by which she expects you to comply with her wishes.

Besides asking your friends and family for the name of a good lawyer or checking the phone book, you can find legal aid online. Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – Find legal aid for low-income individuals and families.

How to respond to correspondence threatening legal action?

You have many decisions to make on how to respond, and a cool head will serve you well. Although the correspondence will be unique to your situation and the CMLP cannot give you specific legal advice, here are some guidelines to help you determine your course of action.

Can you give legal advice to a friend?

There are much better ways that you can help friends and family without putting yourself into harm’s way. Paragon Underwriters reminds you that when asked a legal question by a friend, it may appear that you are merely giving advice to someone close to you, but you have to be aware when a relationship becomes a lawyer-client relationship.

Where can I get free legal advice online?

You’ll find plenty of free legal advice in Avvo’s guides with information on over 1,000 legal topics and over 7 million questions and answers. Just remember that laws can vary significantly from state to state. When researching online, don’t rely on information about another state’s laws, as it may not be relevant to your situation.

There are much better ways that you can help friends and family without putting yourself into harm’s way. Paragon Underwriters reminds you that when asked a legal question by a friend, it may appear that you are merely giving advice to someone close to you, but you have to be aware when a relationship becomes a lawyer-client relationship.

Do you offer legal advice or legal information?

Although it can be difficult to distinguish between the two, provide legal information not legal advice and make it clear that you are not offering legal advice. See, ABA Formal Opinion 10-457 Lawyer Websites (2010) for a discussion of the distinction:

You’ll find plenty of free legal advice in Avvo’s guides with information on over 1,000 legal topics and over 7 million questions and answers. Just remember that laws can vary significantly from state to state. When researching online, don’t rely on information about another state’s laws, as it may not be relevant to your situation.