[DrewDevil]

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DrewDevil,

I want to have a lawyer so that I can hit him up in case I run into any legal problem or have any legal question. How do I create such a relationship with a lawyer? Do I call up one and pay him an initial fee so I get access to him year-round?

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I've spent some time pondering this exact business model--like having a monthly membership fee that gives you access to a lawyer. I haven't figured out how it would be anything but a terrible deal for the lawyer. If you pay a lawyer $50 per month to be "on call," that's $600 per year, or about 3-4 hours' worth of work at average billing rates.

I've heard of very wealthy families paying a lawyer a huge annual retainer for such an arrangement, but I don't see how it would work for the majority of people.

Plus, I think most people hire lawyers for a specific finite purpose (I want a will, I need a divorce), not to have someone on tap. I could be wrong. Hell, if I could round up 100 clients paying me $100 a month, I'd do this in a second--much better than billing by the hour.

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Also, what tips can I use to figure out if my lawyer knows his stuffs or is just talking out of his ass?

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Usually a lawyer will have a reputation in the community of other lawyers, and they will know which ones are full of it. I admit there's not a 100% foolproof method.

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Lastly, I want to confirm if it is true that I should trust my lawyer more than anyone. I wasn't sure if you were leveling or not. Is it because of the "client-lawyer" privilege that allows an open relationship between the two person and that the lawyer cannot testify against his client in case the relationship go sour?

Thanks a lot!

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A lawyer cannot, with a couple of very narrow exceptions, reveal anything his client tells him, even after the representation ends, and a lawyer cannot do anything that even creates the appearance of a conflict of interest. A lawyer takes an actual oath to zealously represent the best interests of his client at all times and faces severe consequences if he does not.