When a lawyer needs a lawyer

This was a poser recently at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Abubakar Abdulkadir Jega in an appeal entered by the EFCC against a legal practitioner (names withheld).When the case was called up, the lawyer stood up attired in his wig and gown but he was immediately ordered by […]

This was a poser recently at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Abubakar Abdulkadir Jega in an appeal entered by the EFCC against a legal practitioner (names withheld).
When the case was called up, the lawyer stood up attired in his wig and gown but he was immediately ordered by the court to remove his wig and gown and move to the common area inside the court room where litigants sit before he could continue with his case.
The court was able to raise this issue suo-moto, because it is an issue of law and not of fact. A lawyer could easily get one of his classmates at the law school to conduct his case.
One of the reasons given by the appellate court on why a lawyer conducting a case himself or herself needs to remove his/her wig and gown and move to the common area was that there is a procedure for everything.
Besides that, the passion the lawyer would attach to his personal case would not allow him to conduct the case well.
Sometimes there is need for a lawyer who has been served with a lawsuit, or when arrested or charged with a crime to hire another lawyer.
This is so because people hire lawyers for advice and expertise all of the time and in all kinds of situations. While a lawyer may be able to get through a legal problem without hiring a lawyer, he should always remember that when he represents himself, he might have a “fool for a client,” as the saying goes. This proverb is based on the opinion, probably first expressed by a lawyer, that self-representation in court is likely to end badly.
One of the first things lawyers should consider is: “What’s at stake?” When your finances or liberties are in serious jeopardy, the obvious answer is to get legal help. An ordinary traffic offence for beating the traffic light is a brush with the law, but you need not consult with another to pay the fine or even to fight it. However, if you’ve accumulated a number of unpaid bills and a warrant has been issued for your arrest, you would probably want to hire a lawyer to help you resolve the situation, and perhaps save you money or even keep you out of jail.
It’s also a lot easier to rest easily after consulting with experienced lawyers for important undertakings such as probate and estate planning, drafting wills and trusts, negotiating business deals and even pursuing personal family matters such as adopting children.
 It makes a lot of sense to hire a lawyer if there is a real problem with spousal abuse , child, sexual or substance abuse. In these situations, it may be impossible for the abused spouse to negotiate effectively but a lawyer can help arrange the necessary protection for an abused spouse and children, if any.
It will also make sense to hire a lawyer if your spouse is being dishonest or vindictive and you just can’t cope with it. In that case, you may need someone to protect your interests.
Finally, it’s prudent to hire a lawyer if your spouse has a lawyer. This is especially true if you have children or are facing complicated financial issues. It could be difficult and emotionally intimidating to go head to head with a seasoned lawyer.
It never hurts to talk to a lawyer, and it may be the best thing you can do if you think you have a legal problem that you can’t resolve yourself. If you’re persistent, you can probably arrange free consultation with a lawyer who will talk to you on the matter.
Short of hiring a lawyer, though, you may want to look at alternative sources to resolve your legal issues.
Some disputes may be resolved by using increasingly popular litigation alternatives such as mediation or arbitration.
In many situations, it’s obvious that you need to act fast. But even if you think you have lots of time to consider your alternatives, deadlines sneak up on you and lawyers need time to prepare. So it’s always better to start looking for a lawyer sooner than later to avoid ‘statutes of limitation’.