There seems to be a lot of people who don't have access to lawyers

[Hockey_Monkey]

Diamonds, I get where you are coming from. You want to do business with people you know. That’s cool. Your problem is that you are assuming that everyone else wants (NEEDS) to do that too. Truly, most people don’t care. Most people could give two shits about business loyalty. If I need a service that someone I know can’t provide, I look on the internet, read some reviews, and make a phone call.

I know lots of people in trade or service industries, but I don’t try to take advantage of our friendship by expecting or demanding discounted services or comps. If they offer, that’s great, but really to ask is gauche.

[Mr.Excellent]

@Oakminster

The poor. I spent the last decade working for a non-profit dedicated to providing legal representation in a limited list of civil matters to people who qualified for services under the federal poverty guidelines. The federal budget cuts last year cost my former employer about 25% of their annual grant, which resulted in the employer having to close my office. That office served 10 counties in a rural state. In those 10 counties live over 50,000 people who would qualify to receive services. To serve those 50,000 potential clients, I was the only lawyer. I turned away about two out of every three people that asked for help, because I simply did not have the resources to help them.

Now, the 10 counties I used to serve have been divided among the offices serving adjoining regions of the state. Two offices now serve 15 counties each, with 75,000 potential clients each. Still only one lawyer per office. The only cases being accepted are the easiest–which can usually be referred to volunteer lawyers who have agreed to accept a couple of very simple matters per year on a pro bono (no attorney fee) basis, and the most serious cases of domestic violence, child abuse, foreclosure, eviction, etc.

I do not know the most recent figures, but I suspect that dwindling resources for such programs are going to cause the case rejection rate to rise closer to three out of every four cases.

Sir, you’re the man. Keep doing your thing.

/public interest rocks!/

[Mr.Excellent]

@Nava

I did deal with immigration lawyers in the US but, well… given the quality of their services, I would have been better off without them. The first one was a mistake on my part; the second one was imposed by my employer.

Yah, the standard of practice in this field is notoriously grim. I did some immigration work for a clinic in law school, and saw the Wall of Shame - the list of sanctioned attorneys, posted in the Baltimore immigration court. Very long list. When your clients are very poor, desperate, and not well informed of their rights, there’s a huge temptation to take advantage. (It also doesn’t help that you can be detained in removal/deportation proceedings for months or years at a time, and you still won’t have the right to an attorney if you can’t afford one on your own dime).

[Mangetout]

@Diamonds02

I have two friends who are legal assistants, both of them work for traffic lawyers (and other types of lawyers). They routinely get clients who want traffic tickets taken care of. If you get too many moving violations, points can add up, increasing car insurance payments. Also, if you’re in the transportation industry or interested in joining it in the future, having moving violations can be a strike against you.

And these moving violations just drop out of the sky on anyone? I already have a method of avoiding these problems, that costs me nothing.

Stuff like medical malpractice and bankruptcy can happen to anyone. You can live a very healthy and responsible lifestyle and some doctor can botch a procedure. A very common way people go bankrupt, is not only credit card debt, but medical expenses. Shit happens, no one is completely immune.

Sure. What we’re debating here though is the efficacy of maintaining a connection with a lawyer that, in all likelihood, will never be required, as opposed to just hiring one as and when the need should arise.

Well, I must say that you guys have a lot more balls than I do. I like to know people, or be known through mutual connections, before I use someone’s services. The thought of risking my time and money on someone who I might not like or may not like me, makes me very anxious.

Yes, because of course the only alternative to building up ‘connections’ is to randomly throw money at complete strangers. Those are the only two options.:rolleyes:

When I’m in the market for a car mechanic, I can solicit recommendations from my friends (actual friends, not ‘connections’), and I value a testimonial from a satisfied customer over a mechanic who ‘likes me’ every time. If I need something and no recommendations are forthcoming, I can just research the market. It’s not that hard. Meanwhile, I get to spend my spare time doing what I want, instead of building up connections I will never require.

[kayaker]

@VinylTurnip

How does one get a traffic ticket “taken care of”?

Da shyster knows a guy.