Avoiding Regret
By: Brad Schroeder
We get calls regularly from people who have gotten themselves into a bind. Usually it’s through no particular fault of their own, and it’s simply a matter of circumstances. Sometimes, though, the clients who call us are doing so because they avoided picking up the phone at an earlier point in time, when trouble could have been avoided, or at least substantially reduced.
We get it – people are reluctant to contact a lawyer when they aren’t really sure they need one, whether it’s a perceived hassle, anticipated costs, or for other reasons. Recently we had a very high wage-earning party in a marriage go through a divorce without ever talking to a lawyer – even to review the final settlement agreement. The client called us a week after the ink was dry, immediately having regrets. At that point it certainly had become much more difficult, though not necessarily impossible, to undo things.
Similarly, we recently had a small business owner call, looking for advice on how to deal with a “silent partner” who hadn’t lived up to his end of the bargain in getting the business – which is starting to become profitable – off the ground. Unfortunately, the terms of their arrangement were never very well settled, and nothing was ever put in writing. They didn’t even really know what matters they needed to discuss when they started the business, because neither of them sat down with a lawyer to know what common issues might arise. Things of course would have been easier if they had taken a little time at the outset to plan for the unforeseeable.
At Hartung Schroeder, we can help. I often tell people, “When in doubt, give us a call.” If there is really no need to involve us, we will give you that advice. Better to be safe than sorry.
ABOUT BRAD SCHROEDER
Brad is a co-founder and partner in the law firm Hartung Schroeder. He believes in advocating for people in many areas of the law. He regularly represents clients in matters pertaining to family law, business law and personal injury. You can learn more about Brad or get in touch with him here.
