Good News on the Law: Don’t get cheated by your lawyer!

Good News Daily ^ | September 2, 2008 | Stephen Bloom

[LikeLight]

Good News on the Law: Don’t get cheated by your lawyer!

Date 09/02/08 | Topic: Life Today

By Stephen Bloom, Esq.
Good News Daily

Too many Christian clients are getting cheated by their lawyers. And it’s not because lawyers are dishonest or taking unfair advantage. No, it’s not even something lawyers are doing intentionally. And, surprisingly, many of the cheated clients don’t even realize they are victims. But they are. Allow me to explain.

Suppose you’re a Christian believer facing a common legal situation. You aren’t sure what to do, so you make an appointment to see a lawyer. You present the facts and circumstances and the lawyer listens carefully, considering all aspects of the problem. The lawyer thoroughly researches the relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and all the applicable judicial precedents. In due course, legal counsel is provided, along with the lawyer’s bill. You accept the advice, pay the fee, and proceed accordingly.

How did you just get cheated? No, it isn’t the amount of the fee you paid. After all, Abraham Lincoln himself, the very prototype of the honest lawyer, said “A lawyer’s time and advice are his stock in trade.” So the fee isn’t the problem. You got exactly what you paid for.

So how did you get cheated? No, the advice wasn’t erroneous. It accurately applied the law to your particular scenario and would put you on solid ground with any court. The lawyer performed competently and capably, meeting every professional standard.
But yet, you got cheated. How? What was missing? If you received quality legal counsel for a fair price, what more could you possibly want or expect?

Well, even many Christians are surprised to learn that God’s Word, the Bible, offers a rich array of relevant and practical wisdom on common legal situations. And, as a Christian, if you find yourself wrestling with a real life legal dilemma, but your lawyer doesn’t offer you the benefit of God’s full counsel on the situation you face, aren’t you at a disadvantage? Aren’t you missing something important? Aren’t you being cheated?

Secular legal advice is fine, as far as it goes. It can even be very helpful in gaining a preliminary understanding of the matter at hand. But for the Christian believer, secular legal advice alone can never be enough. There are eternal consequences at stake and higher purposes that must be properly considered. And for this, only God’s advice is sufficient.

As a lawyer who has searched the Scriptures for insight and guidance on contemporary legal issues, I’ve discovered that God’s counsel invariably leads us toward peace, restoration and reconciliation. It is through the application of God’s Word that we can often find the true joy and abundant life that Christ offers to those who choose to follow him. On the contrary, I’ve discovered that secular legal counsel alone, devoid of God’s wisdom, often leads into a bitter cycle of destroyed relationships, greed and selfish dissatisfaction.

So, for Christians encountering the law, choosing to engage a lawyer who thoroughly integrates Biblical perspectives into the legal counsel they give is essential. Don’t let yourself get cheated!

As a prospective client screening potential legal advisors, don’t be afraid to ask blunt and penetrating questions. Lawyers can take it! Probe and discuss until you are satisfied that your lawyer is not only professionally competent, but is also someone who shares your Christian beliefs and values and can reconcile those beliefs and values with their practice of law. Ask how they apply and infuse Biblical wisdom into the advice they render. Ask them to share their testimony of salvation. Ask them to demonstrate their knowledge of Scriptures that speak to issues of the law.

If the notion of cross-examining your own lawyer seems too intimidating (although it really shouldn’t be – after all, you’re about to embark on an important and expensive journey with this person, with potentially life-changing consequences), then perhaps you can simply provide them with a copy of this column and ask “What do you think?” I’d be very surprised if that doesn’t provoke an illuminating reaction (which might be anything from a hearty “Amen!” to a bewildered “Huh?”). Either way, you’ll know where you stand!

And if even that seems like too much to ask, you can always do some pre-screening of your own. For example, investigate what causes, charities and faith-based organizations your lawyer serves and supports (many lawyers have websites with this sort of biographical information listed). Or contact the Christian Legal Society (www.clsnet.org) to see if your lawyer is an active member (The Christian Legal Society is the largest organization of Christian lawyers and requires its members to sign a statement of faith). A little legwork in this type of basic research will go a long way in helping you identify a lawyer who shares your morals and values.

Christians are being cheated by their lawyers every day. Don’t let it happen to you. You will pay a lot of money for the legal representation you retain, and your life will be impacted in many ways by the nature of the legal counsel you receive. Make sure you are getting the whole counsel of God.

(Stephen L. Bloom is a Christian lawyer serving clients throughout Pennsylvania. He wrote “The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues” (Living Ink Books) and frequently speaks on Christianity and law. For information, visit his website www.IsThereALawyerInTheChurch.com. Please note: This column contains generalized information only and is not intended as a substitute for the specific legal advice of your own attorney.)

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[LikeLight]

My September Christian legal column.

[AmericaUnited]

In defense of Christian lawyers (oxymoron aside), they will cheat you 50% less than secular ones...

[stefanbatory]

does that mean that only 47.5% of them give the rest a bad name?

[jdub]

Not this guy again. He comes on here every month or so and spams with the same message.

[squidward]

“it’s not because lawyers are dishonest or taking unfair advantage”

Stopped reading after this line. Lawyers are dishonest and do take unfair advantage.

[1rudeboy]

Lawyers are dishonest and do take unfair advantage.

It's funny, isn't it? People work hard to screw up their own lives, and when the time comes for it to be fixed, they blame their lawyer instead of themselves.

[Righter-than-Rush]

With respect to believers who work in law, I see too many contradictions between the Bible and contending for your client any way possible. I have seen so many lawyers compromise. The ones that stay honest wind up losing cases, and drop out of the field. Judges don’t give credit for honesty... law is all about two extremes represented individually, meeting somewhere in the middle via evidence, testimony and judicial consideration. In a secular court of law, the truth loses when confronted with a lie on the other end of the spectrum. Seen it for decades.

[LikeLight]

In a secular court of law, the truth loses when confronted with a lie on the other end of the spectrum.

Perhaps this is why the Bible warns us so strongly against going to court.

[LikeLight]

People work hard to screw up their own lives, and when the time comes for it to be fixed, they blame their lawyer instead of themselves.

Part of the human condition since Adam tried to blame "This woman you gave me..." for his own mistake.

[jdub]

I feel sorry for your clients.

[LikeLight]

I feel sorry for your clients.

Why's that?

[jdub]

I've seen your posts before. You advocate that people should forego their legal claims for religious reasons. In my opinion thats malpractice.

Mind you, I'm not advocating bringing frivolous claims or litigating trivial matters just to create fees. And I think that advocating that someone be reasonable and to try to resolve their conflict without lawyers is both moral and the right thing to do. But to advocate foregoing a matter because of your christian beliefs is wrong.

[LikeLight]

But to advocate foregoing a matter because of your christian beliefs is wrong.

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" - Proverbs 19:11

From the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct:

Counselor Rule 2.1 Advisor

In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. In rendering advice, a lawyer may refer not only to law but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social and political factors, that may be relevant to the client's situation.

[jdub]

Again, you are not giving your client the best legal advice from his perspective, but from yours. Your are inserting your interests into the clients situation, and i think that is wrong.

didn't you used to have the name "lighted candle"?

Is this the reason it is now something different?: "Free Republic is a noncommerical site. Please do not post advertising, solicitations, spam or any other commercial messages. Do not spam us with links to your own site. No one likes spam. "

[jdub]

I guess its ok that you are spamming Free Republic because you are doing it in God’s name?

[LikeLight]

didn't you used to have the name "lighted candle"?

I'm thinking you have me confused with someone else. I've been on FR since 1998, always under the name LikeLight.

To address the substance of your statements, every lawyer approaches the law with his or her own biases. That is inescapable. For the Christian client seeking counsel from someone who shares their faith perspective, it is entirely appropriate to seek a Christian lawyer.

And I don't know why you're accusing me of spamming FR. I have been an active member of this forum for more than 10 years, participating in every aspect. These monthly columns are hardly spam - I write them for Good News Daily and they graciously give me permission to repost on FR.

[Atlas Sneezed]

“Too many Christian clients are getting cheated by their lawyers.”

---

Too many writers think they can publish articles that use controversy to attract readers, and then never back up their allegations.

Thanks for wasting my time.

[jdub]

If you have permission, then you are fully within your rights. But if you didn't have permission, it would be spam.

And you are correct that if you are advising a client with the same views that you have, your value system belongs in the consideration. But if they just come to you as a lawyer, I think at the least you should inform them that your value system is not what they would be hearing from most lawyers.

[Old Student]

“Lawyers are dishonest and do take unfair advantage.”

Hey, that’s not true! I’m over fifty, and I’ve already met at least two honest and decent lawyers!

(Well, they have degrees in law, and practice law, anyway. One is Col. Bud Day.)