I heard this joke the other day whilst having a whiskey in my local pub, after a long stressful day, and I just had to smile. So, while I am not at all good at telling jokes, here it goes -:

“If you think lawyer jokes are funny – next time you’re in a jam, call a comedian.”

And, that is the real clinch to why you need a lawyer on speed dial.

Yes, lawyers fall into the same pile as insurance brokers and possibly nuclear weapons. You know that you may need them one day, but the thought of using them just makes you sick.

But, hopefully, after my few nuggets of wisdom, you will have a different view on lawyers and law firms.

We are surrounded by laws. They are necessary. Since the days of Moses, the world knew, as did the powers above, that laws were a necessary evil in this tumultuous world we live in.

Think about your kids. If you don’t put rules in place, what will happen? They will go off on tangents that will more than likely render them a complete basket case and not achieving much. As do children, so do adults, thrive on structure and more importantly laws.

Sure, we don’t always like the laws that are placed out to govern our movements and actions, but we know, deep down, that without them the world would be chaos.

So, we have these laws that oversee how we treat others, how we run our businesses, how we resolve conflicts and how we deal with life in general.

But, as it goes with us humans, we aren’t infallible, and sooner or later we are going to break those laws, whether deliberately or on purpose. And, when that happens, there needs to be an intermediary to sort out the proverbial s&*%t.

Of course, lawyers do so much more than getting people out of trouble, lawyers also assist with legal frameworks that make life easier going forward. So, its not all fun and games like in Suits, although it would be lovely if it was.

So, why do I need a lawyer on speed dial?

While many legal services needn’t be something you will need in a hurry, it would be good to know that should you land yourself in a bit of a pickle, with minimal time to sort it out, that you have a helping legal hand on tap.

1. Formulating Contracts

With all negotiations and partnerships of any kind, a contract is necessary. The contract is put in place to protect all parties involved. This can cover a simple business partnership to a marriage anti-nuptial contract. Having a third party who has no vested interest in either or any parties is the best route to take. This way no bias can be taken and the best interests can be adhered to in the contract.

2. Lawsuit Assistance

As mentioned, there may come a time where you are issued with a lawsuit, claiming that you have done or not done something that was against the law. A good lawyer will be able to gather all the facts, analyse and formulate a good plan of action to either get you out of the lawsuit or mitigate the results of the lawsuit.

3. Employee Disputes and Issues

Whether you are an employer with one, two or many staff; or whether you are an employee yourself, you will come across issues and disputes. We are all fickle beings and if we see ourselves as done in, we are quick to retaliate against the other party. Knowing you can rely on someone to legally calm things down will help you breath easier.

4. Liquor Laws

As liquor is seen as a sin in most countries, hence the lovely term “sin tax” which is applied to liquor sales, you need to have certain licences in place in order to sell alcohol. A law firm can assist with this.

5. Business Business

When starting up a business, it is very easy to just wing it. And by wing it, I mean just start trading with no thought to the rules and laws put in place by your government. Very soon you will realise that your business will not function properly and you very well may lose the company you have worked hard to get to that point.

Lawyers will know the right paperwork needed, whether buying a business, selling a seo company, or beginning a brand-new business. In addition, matters such as tax, entities, fees, employees, patent’s, registering a name, and liabilities, need to be addressed up front.

6. Divorce Dilemmas

Much like you would need a contract of sorts when you decide to get married, so you will need a contract for when you get divorced. And, it is the former contract that normally makes a huge impact on the divorce settlement advises. One, as a newlywed, doesn’t like to think of the possibility of divorce, after all, why get married at all if you may end it? But, it is a foregone conclusion that most marriages end in divorce. In fact, the South African stat is 0,5 out of 1000 marriages go this route. A stat that has climbed by 3,5% over the past year.

7. Children

Children can easily be roped up into disastrous situations if they are not looked after by the law. From marriages to deaths, children need to be protected, and it is in the vested interest of said children that certain documents are put in place. These could be Wills, anti-nuptial contracts or divorce settlements.

8. Death and Taxes

A sure thing, these two evils, so make sure you have a good law firm on your side when either are needing to be addressed. From a well-constructed Will to legal documents covering all manners of tax implications, a law firm can make good on all.

I have covered the real crux of why a lawyer should be on your speed dial, but really there are a myriad of other reasons too. If anyone of these doesn’t make sense to you, well, then you need a lawyer.