Welcome
 Welcome to the _________________ Library to
celebrate Law Day 2013.
 We are here because Libraries are at the heart of our
communities and Justice is at the heart of our
Democracy.
Introductions
 Attorney(s)/Librarian
 Why is a Lawyer in Your Local Library?
To talk
about:
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Access to Justice and why it is important to our
communities.
Legal resources that may be available to you in this
community and in Maine
How to find and choose a lawyer when you have a legal
problem.
General question and answer period for the group.
Q&A guidelines
 No individualized legal advice to anyone during the
group session.
 Will answer general questions about legal issues,
procedures and resources.
ONLY IF YOU ARE DOING INDIVIDUAL
CONSULTS* this is up to the individual attorney)
 *After the general question and answer period
 available for a small number of short individual
consults.
 Purpose of these 15 to 20 min individual meetings
will be to help sort out what kind of legal problem
you might have, and what your next steps or likely
resources might be going forward.
 Unlikely to be able to meet with everyone who would
like a consult, I will be using the sign-in sheet that
you should have signed upon arrival, to determine a
first come first serve list.
What is Law Day?
 Today, May 1, is Law Day.
 Law Day was established to reflect on and to
recognize the importance of the rule of law for our
society.
 Ensuring that every person has equal access to
justice under those laws is fundamental to who we
are as a people.
Access to Justice:
• True or False: If I have a legal problem
and cannot afford an attorney, one will
be appointed for me?
• Mostly False: This is only true in
criminal cases where a person might be
facing jail time and in a few other
instances. In most cases the court does
not appoint a lawyer if you cannot
afford one.
Going it alone. . .
 Due to economic and/or geographic barriers, many
people set off to navigate the often complex and
confusing world of law by themselves.
 A single parent fighting for the right to spend time
with a son, a veteran who has been denied benefits,
or an elderly woman facing foreclosure because of a
predatory lending mortgage she signed but never
understood.
 None of these individuals have access to court
appointed attorneys.
A Story
 Brian, a U.S. Army veteran from Somerset County,
loses his job, falls behind on his mortgage and faces
foreclosure. Without access to legal help, Brian
becomes homeless, which makes it impossible to find
regular work and so he has to rely on government
assistance for the basics. Unable to navigate the
Veterans Benefits System, Brian goes to the
emergency room when he is injured or sick, but is
unable to afford preventative care.
Brian got help . . .
Fortunately, the real Brian qualified for help from Pine
Tree Legal Assistance. Working with Veterans Affairs,
Pine Tree helped Brian avoid foreclosure. He also got
help accessing veterans benefits and he had the
stability to go out and find a job. Brian didn’t need
indefinite help. He needed a lawyer at the right time to
help him get back on his feet.
The benefits
Multiply this example by thousands, and you will see
why access to the right legal resources saves. It
saves jobs, homes, families, and it saves taxpayer
dollars.
Do I Need an Attorney?
 Legal issues are often unexpected - and important
 You got rear-ended and the insurance company
sent a check for not nearly enough to repair the car.
What can you do?
 Your father died leaving an environmental
nightmare at his metal plating business, and you
are his heir. Where do you turn?
 Your sister wants you to tap your 401(k) and lend
her the money for her new restaurant, Bunny’s
Bistro. Is this a good idea, and how can you be sure
you’ll be repaid?
Legal Resources
How do I find a lawyer? Please pick up a copy of the
resource handout. It will also be posted on our website
at lawyersinlibraries.org.
Low Income?
 Some of you may qualify for low-income legal
services. How to qualify varies from program to
program. You will see on the handout an overview
of Maine legal services. If you think you qualify,
call the program to see if they have the services and
the resources to meet your needs.
Other Options
If you do not qualify for one of the legal aid programs,
there are still resources. You can call the Lawyer
Referral Service of the Maine State Bar Association.
That is also on your sheet.
Online legal resources
www.HelpMELaw.org
How to pick a Lawyer:
Get started soon – you will need time!
 A lawyer may need time to get together facts and
documents and time to prepare your case.
 Some cases have time limits on when you can bring
them to court or how long you have to reply.
 Many issues get worse the longer you ignore them.
Call the Lawyer Referral Service;
They can help you determine what kind of attorney
you should talk to, and select an appropriate attorney
by cross-referencing several sub-categories of law and
geography.
What happens when you first talk to a
lawyer?
 Can a lawyer solve your problem in an hour? Hardly
ever!
 It takes time for you to explain your situation, for the
attorney to ask all the necessary questions, and for
the attorney to consider and discuss your options.
How can you afford a lawyer?
Legal Service Attorneys:
 Maybe you can’t. If you have a low income you
should contact a legal service organization to see if
you qualify for their services. Please see the Legal
Resources Handout.
Private Attorneys
Fees and costs for a private attorney are decided by
each attorney on a case by case basis, according both
to the nature of the case, and the caseload the attorney
is working.
Limited Service Representation:
Many attorneys offer what is called Limited Service
Representation. This means they are helping you
represent yourself. You and the attorney break down
your legal needs, and decide who will do what. When
you do your own work, you don’t pay the attorney.
When the attorney does something, you pay for the
work done.
Q&A
Please remember that I cannot give individualized
legal advice to anyone during this question and answer
session, but I will be able to answer general questions
about legal issues, procedures and resources.
Thank you!
Again, please make sure that you
signed in and that you fill out the
evaluation forms and give them to
the librarian.
More information?
Your librarian has information on how to find more
legal resources in your area.
If you need more information or want to seek legal
assistance, please go to HelpMElaw.org where you can
search for legal information and legal resources in
Maine and your county or town.