The Lighter Side of the Legal Profession

Happy Thursday, all! Everyone likes a good lawyer joke, right? This week I want to lighten the mood with some funny jokes about the legal profession. Hope you enjoy!

1.) When an attorney gets married, they don’t say, “I do.” They say, “I accept the terms and conditions."

2.) What do you get when you cross a librarian with a lawyer? All the information you need, but you can’t understand a word of it.

3.) The golden retriever didn't make any money at his first law firm. He only worked on pro-bone-o cases.

4.) Abraham Lincoln never had to call for a lawyer because he was already “in a cent”.

5.) The lawyer had to move his cow because it got a mooing violation.

6.) My father was a lawyer for 25 years before he went to culinary school. Now, he's a sue chef.

7.) What did the lawyer name his daughter? "Sue!"

8.) What do you call a priest that becomes a lawyer? A father-in-law.

9.) The lawyer won the luggage lawsuit in less than 6 hours. It turned out to be a brief case.

10.) Arguing with a lawyer is like wrestling with a pig in mud — sooner or later, you realize they like it.

Hopefully, this brought a smile to your face. Every now and again I like to write about some lighter topics to remind everyone that it is always good to smile even when the world around us is telling us to be negative in so many ways. And don’t forget, the Law Office of Marcie Baker is always here to help!

Sources: 

Special thanks to Bored Panda for all the above gems! 

https://www.boredpanda.com/lawyer-jokes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

Do’s and Don’ts of Your First Consultation

Hi all! Hard to believe that we are over halfway done with January already. Time flies! Today I wanted to offer some basic dos and don’ts when it comes to your first consultation with an attorney. These tips can help you succeed, find the right attorney, and get one step closer to resolving any case or claim that you may have.

Do ask the attorney about their experience in dealing with cases like yours. This will help you decide how confident you are in letting this attorney handle your case and find out more about what your case will be like.

Do read any agreement offered and make sure you understand what it is saying. It is okay to be confused, legal language and everything in the legal world can be incredibly difficult to understand. However, you need to make sure you are asking for clarification when you do not understand something so that you are not blindsided down the road. This will also help your overall relationship with your attorney.

Do make sure to bring important documents. If you have any past legal cases, medical documents, financial documents, etc. related to your case, then bring them to your initial consultation! This helps your attorney better understand your case and if it is something they can handle.

Don’t expect tons of free legal advice during your first consultation. Many attorneys, Marcie Baker included, offer a free initial consultation. This, however, does not mean you have unlimited time to get all of the free legal information you want. It will likely be a 30-minute discussion so the attorney can understand the facts of your case with small discussions regarding legal advice.

Don’t lie. This pretty much goes without saying, but, if you lie, your attorney will not be properly prepared to handle your case and withholding critical information could hurt your case down the road. It is best to always be honest, even if it is uncomfortable.

Don’t be on your phone, tablet, etc., and make sure it is on silent. Especially when the consultation is free, it is important that you show your potential attorney the same respect that you expect of them if/when they handle your case. Devote your full attention to the consultation so that the attorney knows that you are paying attention and ready to get to work.

Hopefully, you learned some helpful tricks from this blog. While this is not all that there is to know, it is a good starting point as you begin a relationship with any attorney. Feel free to contact our office to learn more!

Sources: 

https://manhattankansasattorney.com/legal-topics/2018/2/7/the-dos-and-donts-of-your-initial-consultation 

https://www.cmarlowlaw.com/post/the-do-s-and-don-ts-of-the-initial-consultation-important-considerations-in-selecting-an-attorney 

https://joanbundylaw.com/resources/preparing-for-first-meeting-with-lawyer/

***The information in this blog in no way constitutes legal advice of any form. Should you have questions regarding consultations with an attorney, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

What is a Ch. 7 Trustee?

Hi all! Since I have talked so much about Ch. 7 Bankruptcy, I wanted to shed some light on exactly what a trustee is, and their role in your claim. Hope you find this helpful!

What is the role of a trustee? According to the Department of Justice, “The chapter 7 trustee collects assets of the debtor that are not exempt under the Bankruptcy Code, liquidates the assets, and distributes the proceeds to creditors.” The United States Courts define the role as, “to liquidate the debtor's nonexempt assets in a manner that maximizes the return to the debtor's unsecured creditors.”

Chapter 7 trustees, while not government employees, are appointed by the United States Trustee and assigned to a panel. Once on the panel, they are usually assigned to Ch. 7 cases through a blind rotation process.

What else does the trustee do? After a bankruptcy petition is filed, usually 21-40 days after, the appointed trustee will then meet with the creditors to figure out how to distribute the liquidated assets. Also at this meeting, the trustee will usually ask questions of the debtor and creditors discussing the debtors’ financial affairs, debts, and property.

It is also the trustee’s role to inform a debtor of any and all potential consequences of seeking a discharge via bankruptcy. (ie. Effects on credit scores, filing other bankruptcy petitions, and risks and benefits involved.)

As you can see, a trustee plays an important role when you are dealing with Ch. 7 Bankruptcy. Should you have any more questions, confusion, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office!

**This blog is informational only and in no way constitutes legal advice of any form. If you have any questions regarding Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, please contact our office.

Sources: 

https://www.justice.gov/ust/private-trustee-information#:~:text=The%20chapter%207%20trustee%20collects,distributes%20the%20proceeds%20to%20creditors. 

https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-7-bankruptcy-basics

Quick Legal Tips

Happy January! Let’s kick off this year with some quick and helpful legal tips.

1.) Never sign anything without getting a copy or taking a picture. This helps with keeping your records in order and having proof if at any point in your case there is a dispute about agreements you made or paperwork that you signed.

2.) Consult experts to help navigate uncertain times. The internet loves to tell us we can do things on our own, but consulting with legal professionals can help you save time, and money, and avoid extra stress!

3.) Be careful on e-mail and social media. The internet is forever and what you say from behind a screen can and will be used against you. Think twice before sending nasty messages or information pertaining to a potential or ongoing legal case.

4.) Ask questions and be ready to compromise. Sometimes the only way to move forward is to understand the legal process you are going through and be willing to compromise with the other party. You may not get everything you thought you would, but it will help you have a better understanding and a quicker, cheaper, legal dispute.

5.) Clarify Expectations. When you have a legal issue, it is YOUR legal issue. Make sure at your first consultation with an attorney you let them know your goals, wants, and needs. This way your attorney can approach your case trying to find a solution that works best for you.

Hope these tips help you out with any legal hurdles you may encounter this year. As always, feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or concerns!

***The thoughts, information, and ideas contained in this blog are meant to be informational only and do not constitute legal advice of any form. Please contact our office with any questions.

Sources: 

https://www.mccartylarsen.com/10-legal-tips.html https://www.ralaw.com/storage/top%2012%20legal%20tips%20-%20jeremy%20young.pdf