When should you seek out legal assistance?

By Mike Igi | June 22, 2021

The term “legal advice” is broad and far-reaching, meaning that it may be required in a wide range of different circumstances.

Whether you’re buying a property or a brand new car or negotiating a divorce settlement, you’ll need to liaise with a professional and accredited solicitor to ensure that you move forward efficiently and as affordably as possible. 

But when should you seek out legal advice, and how can you create a clear understanding of precisely what you’re looking for?

Determining the Precise Type of Advice That You Require

Whenever you think you may require legal advice, it’s tempting to jump straight in and start searching for a viable solicitor. 

For example, let’s say that you’ve previously worked with an accountant who did a particularly poor job, costing you money or causing you to pay a financial penalty. In this instance, you may look to make a potential claim of professional negligence, without necessarily understanding your rights or responsibilities as a claimant.

So, it’s important to seek out reputable solicitors who can give relevant guidance prior to making a claim, so that you can make an informed decision about how to proceed and manage your expectations accordingly.

Ideally, you should also look to target solicitors that operate in a relative niche or field. For example, cases of perceived medical negligence can be particularly complex, so it would make sense to liaise with a specialist who can help you to secure the best outcome with the minimum of fuss.

What Exactly Can Solicitors Help You With?

In instances where you feel as though you’ve been wronged or are deserving of compensation, it’s also important to determine whether or not solicitors are best placed to help.

Certainly, lawyers can provide help in a number of different circumstances, particularly those pertaining to family and finance. For example, solicitors should be your first port of call when making a will or getting a divorce, as well as launching a new business and tackling complex or longstanding debt.

Similarly, solicitors can help you to process compensation or personal injury claims, by determining the viability of your grievance and ensuring that you’re able to demonstrate the effects of a particular action clearly.

However, there are some cases in which you may want to avoid liaising with solicitors, especially those that involve family disputes. Here, mediation may provide much better value, with legal action most likely to represent your last resort.

Seeking Out Free Legal Advice

Similarly, those of you who are experiencing a complex issue or completely unsure of where you stand may benefit from seeking out free legal advice.

This can be sourced through resources such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, which allow you to talk through your issues in detail and develop a far greater understanding of your legal rights.

What’s more, you can consult on your rights and responsibilities without having to pay a significant fee, before deciding whether or not to proceed with a potential claim. 

Similarly, employers and workers can seek out relevant advice from specialist resources such as Acas, or any individual Trade Union that you may be part of through the dint of your employment.