[quote=bearishgurl][quote=drboom]Seriously, who do you think you’re dealing with in this forum? Romper Room?[/quote]
In my biz, I constantly hear complaints about attorneys overcharging for no work performed, etc.
(snip)
drboom, you’d be SHOCKED how many people go to paralegals to get court papers filled out who are initially beating their chest, VERY SELF-ASSURED that they can represent themselves!
Many occupations look like “easy money” until you try to do it yourself.[/quote]
OK, sarcasm didn’t work. You keep stating the obvious, and it’s annoying. Most of the members of this forum are highly skilled professionals of one sort or another. We get it. No one is shocked. Please assume we’ve been a lot of there and done a lot of that.
To address your point: if a dispute gets to the courtroom, then someone’s common sense failed along the line–probably both parties’. I’ve had a couple of disputes with people that had legal counsel. I did my homework, talked to my own lawyer for an hour, then cheerfully and politely handed their lawyers’ asses to them. Large checks followed shortly thereafter. It would have been cheaper for them to just sit down with me.
It helps to have the facts on your side, and it helps to be a good negotiator. But avoiding simple mistakes will make up for a lot of shortcomings. People screw up and land in court by getting greedy, for one thing. Never back your opponent into a corner, and never question their honor or otherwise make it personal. Businesslike compromise is the name of the game. Keeping the lawyers out of it will usually save everyone time and money, though they are useful as advisers and fact checkers.
It’s OK to gloat after you win, of course, though non-disparagement and nondisclosure clauses in settlement agreements make that a little less fun than it could be.
Yes, I have a strong DIY ethic. Maybe I read too much Heinlein when I was a kid.
