THE LAW OFFICES OF

ANTHONY J. ROBINSON

  (626) 797-5001

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In Memory of 09-11-01

Lest We Forget

DO I REALLY NEED AN ATTORNEY?

        Of course you do. If you had a pain in your side that felt like appendicitis, would you diagnose yourself? I certainly hope not. Would you ask if you can afford a doctor? Again I hope not. So why is diagnosing a legal problem so difficult? The answer is, it isn't. If you have a legal problem, you know it.  You don't  ask yourself, "How do I  know if I even need an attorney?"   Why? Because if you did, you really wouldn't be honest with yourself.

        The real question is "How do I know if I can even afford to hire the attorney that I really need?" The fear of what a case could possibly cost you can be  so overwhelming, that you find it hard to  even ask yourself the right question. This is not a good situation to be in. In fact the problem can be so overwhelming, that  many people just do nothing  or they play the "Blame Game."

        I am sure that you have heard people blame everyone else but themselves for their problems. It's their lousy ex-wife, or the lousy cop  that arrested them, or that rat bastard blind driver of that car they hit, or that prejudiced judge that sentenced them to jail, or that stinking lawyer who is sucking their life's blood to defend them. If you had a pain in your side, would you blame the appendicitis? I hope not. Well it is the same with legal problems.

        While it is certainly true that you don't get something for nothing,  people who think like this never understand the value of hiring a lawyer simply  because they see no connection between their own conduct and the consequences that befall them.  The drunk driving charge is the cops fault and not their own. In their mind the fact that their wife left them is because she is a bitch and has nothing to do with their drinking.

         Since they  see themselves as victims, they usually  take no action.  They leave it up to their spouse or family to do something for them. It really doesn't matter if you or someone you know is that person, because we usually can even help them. You should be aware that many everyday  legal problems can be solved easily and for a reasonable cost. Not every problem that you may face is going to bankrupt you, unless you do nothing. If you do nothing, then it will eventually cost you more than it would had you been proactive in the beginning.

         We are here to take the fear away. We cannot change what you did or didn't do, but we can help you handle the consequences.     You actually have a choice, stick your head in the sand or pick up that phone and call our office, the choice is yours.

What Can an Experienced Attorney Do For Me?:    

        An experienced attorney is like a guide through the legal  jungle; like a general waging war; like a surgeon operating, each can save your life by providing you with a service that you cannot. What you really want is a tactician who can construct a game plan  to get you through the legal system as quickly as possible.

        One thing that you must understand is not every lawyer is a strategist or tactician. If you have ever watched lawyers in action, you can quickly see the ones who are effective and those that aren't. The effective lawyers have a purpose to what they are doing. The are proactive and not reactive. They understand what makes people tick and how to exploit those things which are of use to you.

        An experienced attorney knows the importance of the truth. They know that they have to get their client use to seeing the situation for exactly what it is. They have learned that the only way to help their client is to control them. A client that is allowed to run amok, hurts everyone. In addition, it make the lawyer look bad in the eyes of the judge.

        If you are harboring a grudge and looking for an attorney that will let you give vent to your anger, you have hired a fool for an attorney. They are of no use to you whatsoever. If you stay with that lawyer and refuse to face the facts, you will get exactly what you think you want: war. The problem is that you will end up paying for your perverse pleasure.   

Why Can't We All Just Get Along? Conflict Resolution:

         Believe it or not in order to have peace, we must first struggle with conflict. Many people believe that  the legal system exists as a method  of resolving human conflicts.  The reality is quite different. The legal system is the stage where we showcase  human conflict, resolution is not always achieved nor is that always the goal.  Nor is that always achievable.  For that reason, it is not correct to describe it as a process that ultimately leads to resolution of conflict between human beings. In order to understand this, you must  first know how the game is played.

        Many people think that conflict is in and of itself evil.  People say that they want peace, yet they are unwilling to pay the price to achieve it.  The price of peace in terms of human conflict is often paid for in blood and lives.  Some people  simply cannot understand why it is so hard to achieve peace. They hold this view because, to them, conflict seems so unnatural. In their view, peace should always be the natural state of things, and conflict the exception, when in  reality just the opposite is true.

        Conflict is as old as life itself. In the Bible, you have the story of the very first murder, Cain slaying Able by whacking him  up side the head, allegedly with the jawbone of an ass. Despite the fact that they were brothers, that was Cain's  solution to his frustration with God.  From that day forward, history is replete with one war after another.  If you study history, conflict would appear to be the norm and peace the exception. You would think that by now people would understand this simple fact but they don't.  You  cannot turn on a television news show without hearing some talking head bemoaning the fact that we need to have peace here or there. Yet they appear to be clueless as to why they don't have peace.

        Peace is not something that is achieved cheaply  or easily. You cannot declare a state of peace. The reason why peace is so hard to achieve is because peace is a condition that only results from a victory for one side in a conflict. The sheer exhaustion of the defeated side causes a  cessation of hostility that results in a thing called peace.  Peace is only achieved through an adversarial struggle. It has the additional benefit of discouraging the losing side from attempting to resume the conflict at a later date.

        It cannot and should not be something that is easily achieved without pain and sacrifice.  You do not achieve peace by merely declaring its existence. If it can be achieved too easily, then it has no value to human beings. Once you understand this simple equation, you truly understand what it really takes to achieve peace.  This is  as true between individuals as it is between nations. All you have to do is look at the war in the middle east to understand the validity of this premise.

What Must I Do to Achieve Peace?: 

        Once you accept the idea that in order to resolve a conflict and have peace you must struggle,  you are well on your way to  resolving the problem and achieving the peace you want. You must also accept the premise  that, you are either too emotionally involved or lack the training to objectively handle the case yourself.  Once you accept the fact that you must struggle to resolve your problem, you are half way home. The next thing that you must do is choose  a legal professional to assist you.  You must also get over your fear and aversion to paying for this assistance.

The Real Value of Having Your Own Lawyer:

        Instead of being fearful of the cost factor of achieving peace, you should ask yourself the following question: "Do people who consume legal services on a regular basis know something that I don't?" The answer is yes they do. They have learned that "Knowledge Gives You Power."  Incredible personal power. It is this power that will bring you the peace that you crave. The value of this knowledge can be without a price. Especially if your freedom or your money is at stake.

        Do you really think large corporations or the government would hire lawyers, if they didn't receive value for their money? I don't think so. Notice that you do not hear the big tobacco companies, Microsoft, Enron, MCI, Global Crossing or any of the major corporations that have been sued lately telling lawyer jokes do you? Think about it, if lawyers were really as useless as you have been told they are, then why would these companies hire them?

        These companies hire lawyers because lawyers provide them with the strategies and answers they need  to deal with their legal problems. These corporations are really looking for the same thing you are. They want peace, so they can get on with their business.  Litigation costs money and corporations are in the business of making money, not spending it on litigation. What they are buying with their money is peace and the ability to make money. Why would a company spend huge amounts of money defending a trademark if it wasn't worthwhile. Answer-they wouldn't.

        If you have the real answers to your legal questions, then you are in  the drivers seat. Fear is no longer controlling your life. You can finally deal with the problem instead of having the problem controlling you. You have the keys to controlling your own destiny and getting on with your life. While you may not always totally prevail, you will be able to set your house in order. You get peace.

        But far too many people cannot think outside the box. They are so concerned with the cost factor,  they never think of anything else. They fail to appreciate  the "value" of having a trained and experienced attorney represent them.  Reliable knowledge has value that you can apply to the problems facing you.  You are buying a chance to achieve peace so that you can get on with life. This is the real value that you get.  Otherwise the joke is on you and it really isn't very funny is it? 

Money Problems:

        Unfortunately some clients just do not have the funds to hire an attorney to help them. While they realize that they are going to be put at a distinct disadvantage, there is  nothing they can do about it. Legal Aid or Legal Assistance is virtually non-existent any more, so that is usually not an option.  Although, a stripped down version is trying to get their act together. Only time will tell if they can be effective or not.

        Many people think that using Paralegals will let you get the same services that an attorney can offer you at much lower cost. Unfortunately that is usually not the case. Paralegals are not cheap lawyers, they are legal form preparers. Like your mom said, "you don't get something for nothing." If you want to know more about paralegals just click on the "What about Paralegals?" button for more information.

        Unless a person  can borrow money from a relative, friend or business acquaintance, they are usually just out of luck. Other people may not have a lump sum to put down, but they do have the ability to put something down and make regular payments. Sometimes we have been able to help people like them  get excellent representation, at a reasonable price. You get value, real value for a reasonable price. We always try and work with our client's so that can get the help they need. In return we ask our clients to live up to their financial commitment. Over the years, we have been able to help many low and middle income people with legal problems. We can help you too. 

Emotionally Over Involved:

        Generally speaking most average clients are too emotionally involved in their own case to be objective. If you cannot analyze your case objectively, then you are not going to be able to evaluate and appreciate your potential risk factors. Nor are you going to see the  potential beneficial  factors that you have in your favor. And you can forget about mounting an effective defense. In the end it doesn't amount to  much more than just guessing or gambling on a favorable outcome.  This is not the way to properly handle your affairs.  Nor are you in a position to achieve peace.

Possible Solution:

        If any of these scenarios sound familiar or you are still not sure, why not click one of the  buttons to the left that correspond to the area of law that you are concerned with. Maybe you will find the answer to your dilemma in one of the pages. It certainly can't hurt to find out. If after you have checked out these pages, you are still undecided, please feel free to give our office a phone call for a no obligation personal interview with one of our experienced attorneys. You'll be glad that you did.

• For information concerning Family  Law and Divorce cases click the button marked "Family  Law Attorney."

• For information concerning Criminal Law cases click the button marked "Criminal Attorney."

• For Information concerning Landlord-Tenant cases click the button marked "Landlord-Tenant Attorney."

• For Information concerning the difference between lawyers and paralegals  click the button marked "What About Paralegals?"

                                                        Send mail to AJR@ANTHONYJROBINSON.COM with questions or comments about this web site.

                                                         Copyright © 2002-2005 Law Offices of Anthony J. Robinson.  Any unauthorized duplication or reproduction of any and all contents are in violation of all applicable laws.  Last modified: August 04, 2010 Version 3.00