Why you need a lawyer:

You might be smart, eloquent, and capable, but should you really represent yourself pro se? Probably not. Here are some of the top reasons that you should hire an attorney to handle your legal matters:

1. A lawyer knows the law

This sounds straightforward enough, but I can't stress how important this is. I have seen some very educated pro se "(i.e., "for yourself" -you represent yourself in court without an attorney) litigants that think they know the law. But the simple fact is that a professional lawyer will know a lot more about the thousands of state laws, federal laws, evidence rules, procedural rules, Supreme Court rules, local court rules, and individual judge rules. You wouldn't try to remove your own cavity after reading a brochure on it, so why would you ever want to represent yourself in an important matter in court?

2. A lawyer knows the law in action

The law may say one thing, but every good attorney knows that in the real world the law is applied in a different way. Attorneys are paid to argue about the interpretation of laws, and therefore the laws meaning has developed through case law. The pro se litigant will simply lack this depth of understanding over the law.

3. A lawyer knows the judges

Most importantly, a lawyer goes before the same judges every day. This is a huge advantage. A lawyer can see how a judge is going to rule on a given set of facts. This experience will allow them to better craft an argument that the judge is more likely to accept in your case. Further, good attorneys can develop a relationship with a judge. This is another way lawyers can develop get leeway in your case.

4. A lawyer can reduce stress in your life, at the most stressful times

You typically need an attorney at the most stressful times in your life: you got hurt in an accident, you're getting a divorce, or you're getting sued. You've probably never dealt with this before. But an attorney deals with this every single day. Let their experience guide you. You don't have to worry about what to do. Further, once you have an attorney, the other side cannot contact your directly. They have to bug your attorney, and not you.