I've heard people who are representing themselves boast that they're "as smart as any lawyer".
I'd wager the people making this assertion are correct, to an extent. Just as with any other section of society there are smart lawyers and lawyers who are not so smart.
However, you should bear in mind there is a certain amount of difficulty in getting into law school in the first place and, then, an ever larger amount of difficulty in graduating law school and passing the bar exam. It's a lot like the difference between a good football player in high school and a good player in the NFL. Each step in the process weeds out a few more and so by the time you "go pro" you have the best of the best.
My personal position is if you are smart enough to find this website and then to read these posts and use them, then you are smarter than most of the public out there. Our readers are obviously of above average intellect.
However, when you're representing yourself you need to be very conscious of your limitations.
There is no way we can teach you everything that is taught in the three years of law school. However, it is not important you understand all of what law students are taught, what is important is that you understand the principles involved in your case.
While most of the people who purchase our Guerrilla Guides to the Law are extremely satisfied, I noticed one person left a review on Amazon which was favorable overall but did mention they were disappointed the books weren't specific to their case.
The simple truth is that law school, more than anything else teaches you how to "think like a lawyer". That is done by bombarding you with the law, day in and day out in a highly stressful environment. We can't apply our knowledge to your facts because we don't know your facts.
Instead, and as our website and books point out, our intent is to teach you concepts. We always try and provide forms and instructions in books where it is necessary but the reality is that if you learn and understand concepts, you can draft your own documents and not rely on forms. If you understand what Discovery is really about, then you know how to answer when it is sent to you and you know how to draft yours when you want to send it to the other party. If you don't think you understand how to do these things, then you need to reread the book because the information is there. A lawyer can take the same set of form discovery he uses for a car wreck case and in a matter of minutes, modify them to fit a lawsuit involving wrongful termination.
Understanding why something is done is as important, if not more important, than knowing the form to use.
If you find an area of the website or a book which you feel is deficient then let us know, we'll be glad to take a look at it and rewrite or add to it as need be.
But remember, our purpose is not to provide books with lots of extra pages and unnecessary information. It is to provide information which is easily understood and which can be read and digested quickly. I could explain how the Magna Carta came about and why it is important to our system of courts but never in 20 years of practicing law and handling thousands of cases was I ever asked that question, and you won't be either.
If you are buying a book or reading a website to impress someone else, this isn't the place for you. If you are wanting to know how to get the best possible results in your case, then LessonsInLaw.com would be proud to count you as a reader.
We can't teach you how to be a lawyer, but we can teach you how to be as effective as it is possible for you to be.
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