Your lawyer’s license to practice, granted by the Nebraska Supreme Court, is your assurance he or she has met all of the necessary requirements to become a lawyer.

To practice law in Nebraska, all attorneys must be members of the Nebraska State Bar Association. To be admitted to the Bar, they must complete college and graduate from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree; pass a comprehensive examination given by the Nebraska State Bar Commission; be of good character; pledge to uphold the constitutions of the United States and the State of Nebraska; and pledge to discharge their duties as attorneys to the best of their ability.

Most attorneys regularly attend continuing legal education seminars on various areas of the law. This helps them stay current on the law and better serve their clients. A lawyer is first and foremost an officer of the court, authorized to explain and interpret the law for you and to represent your interests both in and out of court.

Some of the situations in which you should consult a lawyer are:

• Before buying or selling real estate
• When you have been injured, either on the job, in an accident, as the result of another person’s neglience or because of a defective or unsafe product
• Before signing a lease or contract with major financial provisions
• Before making a will or planning the distribution of your property
• Before organizing a business
• If you are involved in an accident in which there is injury to persons or damage to property n When there are changes in your family status—
  marriage, adoption, divorce
• When you have tax problems or questions
• If a lawsuit is brought against you, or you want to bring a lawsuit against someone

• Confer with you to pinpoint the problem
• Research and analyze all available facts and information relating to your problem
• Interview those involved
• Prepare legal arguments for presentation in court, if litigation is involved
• Negotiate a settlement if both sides can reach a fair agreement
• Keep you informed about progress in your case and answer your questions
• Discuss fees with you at your first visit, and agree how the fee will be paid
• Be candid with you about your problem, your prospects for success, the time it will take and the advisability of accepting any settlement offered
• Keep in confidence anything you say

• Be completely honest about all facts concerning your case, whether or not they are favorable to you
• Be on time for appointments and not take up excessive time with visits or phone calls relating to minor details
• Carefully consider his or her advice. Be patient and understand that legal matters are rarely “open and shut” cases; they require time and research and no lawyer can guarantee results in a contested matter
• Pay a reasonable fee for the work performed

On the surface, do-it-yourself law kits may appear to save you money. But even a minor detail in your case (a detail your lawyer is trained to notice) could result in a loss far greater than what you save by trying to be your own lawyer.