Few people relish the prospect of hiring a solicitor, as such an action is usually only necessary during a tumultuous time in our lives. Nevertheless, most of us will be faced with this task at some point and, in this article, we’re sharing 10 reasons why you might need to hire a solicitor in your life.
As life becomes more complicated, Cardiff, Caerleon or Caerphilly solicitors may see an uptick in enquiries in many different sectors. While few look forward to needing a solicitor, this is something that is likely to happen to most of us at some point.
So, in this article, we’re sharing 10 reasons why you might need to hire a solicitor in your life.
Buying a home
Buying a home is, of course, a happy and exciting time for most people and, in order to do this, you will usually need to hire the services of a conveyancing solicitor.
This is a specialist property solicitor who will guide you through the process of buying or selling a home, dealing with lots of complex factors such as the land registry.
Starting a business
If you’ve decided to leave the 9 to 5 behind in order to start up your own business, you will almost certainly need to retain the services of a business lawyer to help you navigate the legal minefield of the business world.
Divorce
When a marriage breaks down, it can be heartbreaking and stressful. While it is possible to handle a divorce between the two of you, this is generally not recommended – particularly if the divorce is likely to be acrimonious or complex.
Instead, most people choose to hire the services of a reliable family solicitor who will be able to help you navigate this difficult terrain and settle your divorce as quickly and easily as possible.
Child custody issues
If there’s one thing more painful than a divorce, it’s a battle over who gets custody of the children.
Child custody disputes can quickly become bitter and adversarial and, in most cases, you will need a solicitor to help you to resolve them – particularly in the unhappy event that the case ends up in the family court.
Probate and wills
Death is not a topic that many of us are comfortable with, and many of us will find it extremely difficult to discuss it with our loved ones. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that most of us, at some point, will find ourselves having to hire a probate solicitor following the loss of a loved one.
A probate solicitor is responsible for sorting through the deceased finances and Last Will and Testament to distribute the person’s assets and belongings as per their instructions.
You may also want to get in touch with a Will solicitor yourself to help with your own Will.
Criminal activity
If you are accused of – or even arrested for – criminal activity of any kind, including drink driving, fraud, and criminal damage, you will almost certainly need to get yourself a solicitor to help fight your case.
Medical negligence
When we go into hospital or to a healthcare facility, we expect to be made better and this is usually the case. Unfortunately, in some instances, things can go wrong during an operation or a procedure which can lead to an injury.
If this happens to you or a loved one, you may need to hire a medical negligence solicitor to help you to take those responsible to task and to possibly gain financial compensation to help pay for your care.
Landlord / tenant disputes
In 2023, more Brits are choosing to rent their homes and this will, unfortunately, lead to an increase in landlord / tenant disputes. Whether you’re a landlord dealing with a wayward tenant or a tenant who is being short changed by your landlord, you may have to resort to hiring a solicitor to iron out a major dispute.
Business disputes
If you own your own business, it’s unlikely that you sail through the years without some form of dispute with a client or supplier. In the event of this happening, you will need the help of a specialist business solicitor who you should, ideally, have on retainer for just such an instance.
Neighbour disputes
In an ideal world, we’d all get on with our neighbours like a house on fire, but that’s sadly not always the case. Whether it’s a row about noise, or your neighbours encroaching onto your property, you may need to get a solicitor on board to help you to bring the dispute to a conclusion.
Looking for a Solicitor?
Although the idea of finding and hiring a solicitor can be extremely daunting, it’s important to remember that they are there to help you. For many, one of the scariest parts is the cost, and you should always first check to see if you are eligible for government help before going ahead and hiring a solicitor.
It’s also a really sensible idea to shop around as solicitors’ fees vary widely. Where possible, recommendations from friends and family can help you to make an educated decision.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post