The Necessity of a Lawyer by Bo Murphy

            With the growing modernization of almost every field from law to agriculture, everyone is looking for an easier way of utilizing services that they need. One of the ways in which this has impacted the legal field is through online self-help legal websites such as “Legalzoom.com” or “Nolo.com.” At this time, there is even a law firm in Nevada who states they are revolutionizing the legal field with their online representation in family law matters.

            This family law firm states that they will help any individual who needs representation by sending the client the proper forms and having the client fill out all the necessary information, which the attorney will review and check for accuracy. The Nevada firm says that they will take any family law matter, no matter how complex, and allow for self-representation, cutting the cost for the client significantly. This firm believes that their system will work in Nevada, and could work anywhere, as long as the client takes the time to represent themselves.

            While this idea sounds noble and perhaps even appealing to potential clients, it is completely nonsensical. Family law is one of the most complex, austere, and time consuming areas of law, which is dynamic and ever changing. Family law clients need someone who is resourceful and knowledgeable to be able to ensure equitable resolution to their matter. For a regular individual with no knowledge of the law attempting to represent pro se with the opposing party represented by experienced counsel, this situation most likely will end poorly for the pro se individual. The dynamic character of family law keeps even experienced attorneys on their toes, continually reviewing case law for changes in the law, and this system of the attorney only reviewing what it is filed with the court and not representing the client in court is forgetting the necessity of attorneys. If the law field is so simplistic that a client only needs an attorney to proof read filed documents, then attorneys would not dedicate three years of their lives in school learning the field and becoming knowledgeable.

            In the end, while the law field is modernizing, this should not allow uneducated and uninformed clients to have to represent themselves in what could be the most traumatic time of their life. To do this would not be classified as a “Zealous advocate” but more like an “Obsessive proof reader.”