Free (legal services) or not free . . . that is the question

I've had a lot of people ask me lately if I provide free legal services or if I can take their case for free.  The answers are: (1) Yes, I do pro bono (free legal) work through pro bono organizations like South Jersey Legal Services (www.lsnj.org/sjls), Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (www.vljnj.org) and local bar associations; but, (2) No, if you can afford a mechanic, HVAC repairman or doctor, you can afford a lawyer and I won't take your case for free.

Some interesting (you might think boring) statistics about lawyers that I want to share (from an ABA survey in April 2012):

1.  Of the 1.2 million lawyers in the U.S., 75% or 934,000 are in private practice (rest in gov't, corporations, legal aid, etc.)

2.  Of those, 460,000 or roughly 50% are solo attorneys

3.  Studies vary, but my estimate is that the median income of solo attorneys is about $60,000. (NOTE: I've read virtually every study on median incomes of attorneys and the articles criticizing those studies too.)

4.  Most analyses suggest that a family of 3 or 4 cannot survive on $60,000 in today's economy.  See e.g. Can a family of four survive on a middle class income in America today?

The purpose of this post is to dispel the myth that all lawyers are really rich and not working hard for their money.  Most lawyers are solo lawyers just trying to eke out a living and provide for their families.  But solos are people too, who need to pay their mortgage, bills, and feed their families.

I realize that many parents of special education children are already financially tapped to the maximum, but the good news is that under most special education laws if you win your case you get your legal fees repaid!

So, despite what jokes Jay Leno or Jimmy Kimmel are telling about lawyers and in spite of the moron lawyers who are filing stupid lawsuits (like the one against the Sandy Hook school for $100M), most lawyers are NOT rolling in the moolah and can't afford to take your case for free.  After all, do you ask your doctor to cure you for free?  Do you ask your car mechanic to fix you car for free?  When your heater is broken down in the dead of winter, do you expect the HVAC specialist to come out to your house and fix it for free?