http://apublicdefender.com/2008/12/08/marketplace-wants-to-hear-from-you/ Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:29:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://apublicdefender.com/2008/12/08/marketplace-wants-to-hear-from-you/comment-page-1/#comment-44699 Oliver Spencer Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:10:21 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/?p=1929#comment-44699 Making a living as a solo practitioner or as a partner in a small law firm is difficult even in the best of times. The inability of clients to pay legal fees is a problem that is growing, and has resulted in a disturbing trend of self-representation for some types of matters, most notably in family law. Funding is diminishing for services such as drug court, which provides a treatment and community service alternative to prison for drug offenders, the Ex Parte Court (which handles uncontested dissolutions, emergency family law motions, and probate and guardianship matters), and family law facilitators (non-lawyers who assist pro bono family law clients in contested dissolution actions). More people will be forced into self-representation as a result of the downturn, which will result in poor results for those who elect not to hire a lawyer, as well as a slowing down in the judicial process as court personnel are forced to address procedural issues that would not have been addressed had these individuals elected to hire a lawyer. Fees for attorneys cannot be reduced, because unfortunately one of the things that is calculated in a lawyer's hourly rate is the number of hours of work for which the attorney charges and is not ultimately paid. Most law firms in this nation are small law firms who represent individuals and small businesses, a fact that is often not reported amidst the greater attention given to large law firms which largely represent only corporations and the very wealthy. As the financial crisis is choking the life out of these individuals and small businesses, it has also begun to choke the life out of the small law firms who represent them. Making a living as a solo practitioner or as a partner in a small law firm is difficult even in the best of times. The inability of clients to pay legal fees is a problem that is growing, and has resulted in a disturbing trend of self-representation for some types of matters, most notably in family law. Funding is diminishing for services such as drug court, which provides a treatment and community service alternative to prison for drug offenders, the Ex Parte Court (which handles uncontested dissolutions, emergency family law motions, and probate and guardianship matters), and family law facilitators (non-lawyers who assist pro bono family law clients in contested dissolution actions). More people will be forced into self-representation as a result of the downturn, which will result in poor results for those who elect not to hire a lawyer, as well as a slowing down in the judicial process as court personnel are forced to address procedural issues that would not have been addressed had these individuals elected to hire a lawyer. Fees for attorneys cannot be reduced, because unfortunately one of the things that is calculated in a lawyer’s hourly rate is the number of hours of work for which the attorney charges and is not ultimately paid. Most law firms in this nation are small law firms who represent individuals and small businesses, a fact that is often not reported amidst the greater attention given to large law firms which largely represent only corporations and the very wealthy. As the financial crisis is choking the life out of these individuals and small businesses, it has also begun to choke the life out of the small law firms who represent them.

]]> http://apublicdefender.com/2008/12/08/marketplace-wants-to-hear-from-you/comment-page-1/#comment-44680 Lil Spicy Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:28:36 +0000 http://apublicdefender.com/?p=1929#comment-44680 I'm glad you posted this Gid. Most folks don't give a hoot what public defenders think about anything. This is a chance to say something and actually be heard. I’m glad you posted this Gid. Most folks don’t give a hoot what public defenders think about anything. This is a chance to say something and actually be heard.

]]>