When You Need a Lawyer...

...The Right Attorney Makes All the Difference.
 

You've found the right lawyer to take care of your legal needs.  Please feel free to call my office if you have any questions or to arrange a consultation.

The Importance of Having A Lawyer

Areas of Practice

	Criminal Defense
	Traffic Violations
	Driving While Intoxicated
	Divorce and Family Law
	Collaborative Family Law
	Child Custody
	Visitation Rights
	Mediation
	Personal Injury
	Automobile Accidents and Injuries
	Medical Malpractice.

When Should I Seek Professional Legal Advice?

Never think of hiring a lawyer as the "last resort." In most instances, it is better to visit a lawyer to avoid a potential or future legal problem. By consulting your lawyer before signing a contract, closing a business deal or moving ahead with any legal matter, such as an auto accident or work-related injury, you can avoid costly and often complicated legal hassles.

You should consult a lawyer:

	Before buying or selling real estate;
	Before signing a contract with major financial implications;
	Before organizing a business;
	When you are arrested or charged with a crime;
	When you have an accident resulting in personal injury;
	When your family situation changes through marriage, adoption or divorce;
	When you have tax problems;
	When you are being sued or initiating a lawsuit.

Make it a Good Experience

A positive and open relationship between an attorney and a client benefits everyone. The key to getting it is communication.

	Communication starts with asking the kinds of questions contained in this section.
	Use the answers to the questions as a guide not only to the attorney's qualification, but also as a way of determining whether you can comfortably work with this person.
	If your concerns are given brushed over, if you don't like the answers to the questions, if you don't like the attorney's reaction to being asked all these questions, or if you simply do not feel relaxed with this particular person, DO NOT HIRE THIS ATTORNEY.
	Only if you are satisfied, from the very start, with the attorney you have hired will you trust him or her to do the best job for you.
	Only if you have established a relationship of open communication will you be able to resolve any difficulties, which may arise between the two of you.

If you take the time to make sure that you are happy right at the beginning you can make this a productive experience for both you and the attorney.

Can I Handle My Own Legal Affairs?

In Maryland, like most states, it is illegal for anyone not licensed to practice law to give you legal advice or to act on your behalf regarding most legal matters.

Additionally there are a number of do-it-yourself "kits" available for getting a divorce, avoiding probate, declaring bankruptcy, or forming a business. The kits are often designed for national use and not specifically tailored to the laws of the state in which you live. On the surface, kits may appear to save you money, but without an attorney's trained eye and knowledge of the applicable state law, you may lose far more than you save by trying to be your own lawyer.

There is an old saying, often repeated by lawyers and "would be" lawyers, "He who is his own lawyer, has a fool for a client."