What is Legal Advice?

Legal advice is the opinion of an authorized professional in law such as an attorney. They will ask you questions about your case, consult previous cases settlements and law books, as well as look up regulations at the federal, state and municipal levels. Sometimes they may also seek out advice from their colleagues. Before giving legal advice, a lawyer must fully understand your case.

Each case and every person is different. If you have a question or need to file a criminal or civil case, these attorneys are the best to help you.

Short for legal advice:

Written or oral advice to a client from an attorney who has the appropriate knowledge, experience, education, and licensure.
This will affect your legal rights and responsibilities because you have now disclosed potentially private information to another person.

You must give the attorney you consult their rights and responsibilities. They are responsible for providing you with the best possible legal advice or referring you to someone else if necessary. Even if attorney-client privilege is not applicable in all cases, lawyers may be required to report information to law enforcement. Your attorney may be legally responsible – depending on where you are located – if there is a possibility of serious injury or death in your case.

This document will help you decide what course of action to take depending on your circumstances.
To resolve or provide direction, we use specific laws that are relevant to your particular situation.

Legal Information vs. Legal Advice

Sources that claim to offer legal advice may appear when you search for it. This is false information. These are the key differences between them:

Legal Information: This information is generic and not specific to any particular case. It’s more factual and provides more information about the court’s records, processes, and rules. Even if an attorney is not involved, anyone can give legal information. The public has access to legal information, so anyone can search for what they are looking for.

Legal advice Only an attorney can give legal advice, but anyone who is familiar with a particular aspect of the legal system might be able provide legal information.

Many law firms and sole practitioners have disclaimers on their websites to clarify the difference between legal information or legal advice. The disclaimer could state that the website does not contain legal advice. A consultation must be scheduled, or an attorney-client relationship established in order to receive legal advice.

It is important to get legal advice

There are many ways to interpret law. Emotions can get high, especially when they are directly affected by the situation. You should not attempt to do anything that could be harmful to yourself. Instead, seek the guidance of an experienced professional.

It’s possible to feel confused about your specific circumstances or that you are in the middle of something complicated. You can always ask an attorney for advice and be confident that they will give you a trustworthy answer. They’ll break it down and make your situation easier to understand.

Questions to ask an attorney when seeking legal advice

These are questions to ask your attorney to give you legal advice.

What laws are applicable to my case? Are they federal, state, municipal, or both?
Which is your expertise?
What experience have you had in similar cases to mine?
What would your approach be if you were to represent me in my case?
What are your charges for services?
Is there a fee schedule?
Do you want to be my attorney? Or will I work mostly with your paralegals or legal assistants?
Who are your typical clients?
Is there a court alternative to my situation such as arbitration?
What is the likelihood of my case being successful?

Where can I find legal advice?

You may be surprised to find out that you have many options for getting legal advice. Low-income families and individuals can find the help they need by going to many resources. Many attorneys offer pro bono legal assistance work to assist those who are unable to afford an attorney’s consultation fee.

There are other places you could turn:

American Bar Association: A free virtual legal clinic is available to qualified users (typically those with low income) where they can ask their questions and receive a response from a volunteer lawyer in their state. This service is provided without any expectation that you will be engaged in long-term representation. This website is for civil cases only. Any criminal cases must be discussed with an attorney.

Law Assistance: This group provides guidance for finding legal aid programs within your area. Browse their publicly available information on topics like family law and debt collection if you prefer to take it slow.

State Consumer Protection Office This office assists the public to resolve consumer problems in their state. They can assist you in defending your rights as consumers, mediate complaints and conduct investigations. They cannot represent you against companies.

Local law schools: It is common for local law school to offer free legal clinics that anyone can attend. Law students can provide legal assistance for free, but they are always under the supervision of law professors.

Legal Services Corporation: LSC was established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial assistance to legal aid nonprofits across the country so that they can continue providing services to their communities.

Reddit – Reddit consists of an online discussion forum and platform with a popular subreddit, r/legaladvice. It’s managed by a group of moderators. Although the forum explicitly states that moderators don’t give legal advice, it may be a good place to start.

You can also get legal advice for specific groups. Veterans and enrolled military personnel can seek help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Americans with disabilities can contact The National Disability Rights Network. Seniors can find legal services for eldercare. Pensioners can contact The Pension Rights Center for assistance.

You may be eligible for legal assistance from individuals and organizations who are willing to help you if you are on welfare, food stamps or Medicaid.

Legal advice is not something you should take lightly. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for an attorney to assist you in a civil case or drafting a contract, it is important that you speak with someone with the right license and experience.

What is Legal Advice?