How Lawyers Can Handle Free-Advice Seekers

The legal profession has always had a social position that is ambiguous. Top lawyers have usually been socially prominent and get respected all the way—the sections of the profession so favored varying with the general structure of the law in the particular community.

In this era of globalization, technology is playing a key role in the delivery of legal services, the nature of competition, and the demands and expectations of clients. Every job comes with difficulties of its own, and there can never be a prescribed way to deal with versatile problems. For instance- lawyers, in their profession, have to deal with free advice-seekers daily, and this has gone to such an extent that it is starting to hamper the practice.

You see, when you seek legal advice from a lawyer, it comes perfectly within the horizon of the profession but when you figure out and get the details, and hand over the work to someone else based on the framework set up by the other person, that’s where the whole effort of the lawyer who took out time and had put efforts go in vain. It is not just ethically wrong, but also it has a direct effect on the business as well. If a legal expert is supposed to help out the client to fight the legal battle, it is a moral duty of the client to pay for the services provided.

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Of course, people are providing the services free of cost, but that is an entirely different scenario where it is for the poor and needy where the terms and conditions of the services provided state that it is free of cost. But, in general, just like you pay the electrician for fixing the house bulb, a plumber for fixing a water leak, or an architect for designing your house, similarly you have to pay a lawyer for the legal solution provided. Here, we will discuss how to deal with people seeking free advice from a lawyer.

To handle the situation, one can go for one of the following options:

Consultation Fees

A lawyer can seek a consultation fee before dealing with the case so that such problems do not occur. Every lawyer puts this in their profession, and it does not affect your pocket much as it represents like you are very specific for your work, and also it helps you to save from free advice seeker.

General legal Awareness

There needs to be a general awareness amongst people that like any other profession, the law is also a kind of social business where the people professing it needs their hard-earned money for their services, and people have got to get out of the stigma that they are paying lawyer for nothing, and how simple advice can be of monetary value. When some advice has no monetary worth in general, but when it comes from a lawyer, it has value.

Keep it, General

Answering a few questions about the law will generally take a few minutes of your time. It’s a great way to show that you know what you’re talking about. Most lawyers offer all of their knowledge in front of anyone, especially in front of someone who wants free counsel. Keep it very general, like you have to position yourself like you know the law. For further questions, you’ll have to pay hard cash.

Prefer meeting in person

Ask the client to gather the case-related important information in advance. Also, see you in person than to have a telephonic conversation. It helps in avoiding skepticism and is convenient for both the lawyer as well as the client. Even facetime or video conferencing will do.

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Conclusion

In the end, I want to conclude by saying that it is a matter of perspective and personal choice. And as an attorney, this should not be a problem either. Lawyers are famous for their intellect and their way out of any situation. Free advice seekers can be a problem for one or not for the other person. Hence, lawyers should handle this individually and according to one’s own demand. There is no prescribed rule or guidelines for talking about such situations.

Furthermore, as we all know, lawyering is a very honorable and reputable profession, thus it doesn’t matter what others think. So, guard it, because your personal time is very precious. Here not each and everyone will be going to value what you are going to bring them, and that’s fine. You don’t need everyone to value you or to use your services accordingly. Just remember, only the people who get you will deserve you.