Lawyers - you get what you pay for?

amother

Red

Mon, Jul 18 2016, 3:11 pm

I need a housing lawyer and divorce lawyer. I have no money.

Will the legal aid lawyers or whatever they are called be sufficient in a contentious divorce? Do I really need to collect money from family to pay for an attorney?

And will I be evicted no matter which lawyer I hire so might as well get a free one?

I am so lost and confused. Please help.

I live in Brooklyn.

marina

Mon, Jul 18 2016, 5:50 pm

I don't know if legal aid in your city does divorce, but here in my city, the actual organization Legal Aid is very prestigious and very difficult to get a position with. They typically take just the very best- and the ones who don't need to get paid a lot, obviously. Some of my close law school friends work at legal aid and they are brilliant if overworked and underpaid.

I'm pretty sure most legal aids do housing so def try to get them. It's not a given that they will take your case btw, you have to apply and then they will consider it.

If you are looking for other free help, you can search law clinics in your area. Most law schools now have hands-on practical legal clinics where the students, supervised by a professor, represent clients and address people's legal issues for free.

amother

Oak

Mon, Jul 18 2016, 7:08 pm

Just want to add. Ask specific questions. The lawyer should be prepared and able to give you satisfactory answers that make logical sense re strategy, plans, etc.

If possible, bring someone along with you who can also ask questions and help you remember what the lawyer said, just as you would if you were going for a medical expert opinion.

No lawyer should make promises about outcome or results, how easy your case is, etc--that would be a major red flag.

Another red flag would be if the lawyer is vague regarding his billing practices. You should ask how the lawyer will bill, for instance, for telephone calls about book-keeping types of matters, and the lawyer should not be afraid to answer you directly.

The lawyer should impress you as being smart by having a grasp of the case and possible suggested strategies. He/she should also impress you as having backbone and not being afraid to fight. If your dh's lawyer is loud, obnoxious or even verbally abusive, it's important that your lawyer not be intimidated, makes direct eye contact, can speak up and be heard by the judge, and is well aware of available remedies.

Of course, your lawyer should also be honest. For that, I'd try to get an indication as to what drives him/her; hopefully it should be some idealism, a belief in the rightness of your case, wanting to help seek justice, etc.

Good luck.

amother

Red

Mon, Jul 18 2016, 7:38 pm

marina wrote:

The Domestic Violence department at one of these organizations, not sure what they are called exactly, accepted my case a while ago. I want to know if I can rely on them.

And my housing situation is complicated. I don't know what rights I have, if any. If I don't have a chance to fight the eviction I don't want to spend money I don't have hiring a lawyer. If I do have a chance, can I count on a legal aid lawyer to do a good job?