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July 30, 2009 by admin.
Would you rather spend a little bit of money now, or lose a lot of money later?
This week, I talked with a woman (not a client) who was having problems with a prospective landlord who had already broken a written agreement with her. The woman was in love with the building, however, and was torn whether or not to move forward with renting from this landlord. In questioning whether she should rent from this landlord or not, she bemoaned the fact that “there are so many legal loopholes” and that she didn’t want them to break another agreement with her because she “wouldn’t want to take the time or money to get legal representation.” This is exactly why making an appointment with a lawyer is not a waste of time. It doesn’t cease to amaze me when someone bemoans their legal fears about something that means a lot to them and in which they have invested a lot of time and/or money, but then says “but I don’t have the time or money to hire a lawyer.” That’s like saying, “I want to build the largest, most fabulous, most expensive beach house for myself, but I don’t have the time or money to hire a plumber.” In both instances, when you’re in deep, er, potential projectiles for Wuesi McGowan, it’s usually too late. If something means a lot to you and you’re already investing a lot of time or money into it, you’re only shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t at least talk to a lawyer. At or shortly after the first consult, a lawyer should be able to tell you if they are willing to take on your representation, why or why not, and a general outline of what steps s/he will take on your behalf. (Money, I grant you, is an important consideration for those who truly have money troubles. This is why more attorneys are making their first consults free and why there is a growing trend in the profession away from hourly billing and more towards flat or contingent fees.) Most of what a typical private attorney does all day does not involve going to trials. Most of it is boring paperwork and compliance work/preventative law. This makes it all the more frustrating for us when we have to turn potential clients away because it is too late for us to help them. By trying to save a few bucks in the short term, these potential clients waited too long to see a lawyer and are now up the proverbial creek. (This is especially true when dealing with potential plaintiffs, as there are statutes of limitations that limit how long someone has to file a lawsuit.) As I emphasize in this blog frequently: The best time to hire a lawyer is before you need one! All you have to do is pick a lawyer and talk to him. It’s that simple, and there is no reason not to do it. If you think you may possibly need legal protection or other legal advice for something going on in your life or business, please don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact Beacon Hill Law today. Joe Stanganelli, Esq.
Beacon Hill Law
617-398-0769
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