How to Find A Lawyer In San Fernando Valley
Are you prepared to defend yourself in court? We’re here to teach you how to find a lawyer in San Fernando Valley so you can rest assured you’re protected.
San Fernando Valley has grown from early ranching activities to a bustling economic community with a large labor pool and attractive financial incentives for business.
Named in honor of a Spanish king and Saint, the San Fernando Valley was an early settlement in the Los Angeles area and boasted a small trading center where the resident Indians sold farm crops, wine, olives, and livestock. The city’s ranching activities were connected to the Mission de San Fernando Rey.
But today, the cosmopolitan city provides varied business interests and a community of commercial merchants that also lead to potential legal conflicts and need for legal assistance.
Need for legal assistance in San Fernando Valley?
There are several reasons you might need an attorney in San Fernando. You might have been injured at work. You may have been accused of a crime. You may think you were laid off illegally. Maybe you were charged with DUI. The list is almost endless.
The list is almost endless.
Maybe you have family issues. You are possibly thinking about a divorce and are concerned about your children’s future and your property rights.
You may feel harassed at work or think you are treated differently than other workers. Maybe you are an older worker or think you should be granted a better family leave or severance package.
There are scores of legal areas where attorneys have specialized knowledge and experience that can help you in whatever area of need you have. Here are a few of the legal areas where attorneys in the San Fernando Valley have a practice.
Areas of legal assistance
- Family Law (divorce, child support, child custody …)
- Bankruptcy (bankruptcy basics, foreclosure, personal bankruptcy, corporate bankruptcy …)
- Criminal Law (DUI/DWI, sealing records, drugs …)
- Disability (Social Security, Elder Law, Worker’s Compensation, disability laws …)
- Home and Property (real estate, tenant laws, neighbors, and pets …)
- Employment (wage and hour laws, employee benefits, wrongful termination …)
- Immigration Laws (Deportation, citizenship, Green Cards …)
- Personal Injury (slip and fall, vehicle accidents, OSHA-related accidents …)
- Tax laws (business income taxes, personal income taxes, audits…)
- Business law (incorporation, business finance, records …)
- Medical laws (malpractice, Professional Duty of Care, childbirth, and obstetrics …)
- Intellectual property (copyrights, trademarks, patents …)
- Trusts, Wills, and Estates (Living Wills, Trusts, estates, probate, asset protection …)
This list is not complete, and there are more areas of specialization. There are also many attorneys in each area that can help you with your personal legal issue.
Pro Bono Assistance
There are many Pro Bono attorneys and law offices in the San Fernando Valley that assist the underprivileged and poverty-stricken members of the community. Many areas of law confront the disproportionate impact of some activities including housing, benefits, and healthcare.
An attorney referral service can help you find someone to advocate on your behalf, consulting with medical and community professionals to improve personal and family health, maintain your home, and keep income security during difficult times.
The legal system can also protect you or friends or neighbors in the case of domestic violence or special crimes. In these cases especially, it is important to have the appropriately qualified and certified attorney for your particular needs.
You can find Pro Bono services in such cities as San Fernando, Los Angeles, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Burbank, Pacoima, and Sylmar. You can find them in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura.
Example of legal assistance: theft cases in San Fernando
One area where legal assistance is recommended is the accusation of theft. You would not want to represent yourself in court because there is too much at stake. You could lose your job or license or be financially obligated. A negative ruling could also have immigration consequences.
How are theft cases handled in San Fernando? Depending on where the incident took place, the case is assigned to either the San Fernando Criminal Court or the Van Nuys Criminal Court. Most of the theft or shoplifting cases in San Fernando are treated as misdemeanors. Some begin as felonies but get reduced to misdemeanors later. This is where your theft defense attorney can be very helpful.
There are also a couple of options for jurisdiction, and history shows that for one or two, there is a better chance of dismissal of charges. Again, a theft attorney would know that and act on your behalf.
The possible outcomes of a theft case are also multiple. The result can be reduced charges or dismissal, Civil Compromise, Deferred Entry of Judgment (DEJ), or of course trial. A good attorney would get the best outcome for you. This is just one example of the complexity of the legal process and the special knowledge needed to navigate the intricacies of the court and protect your personal interests.
Finding an attorney in San Fernando
How do you find an attorney in San Fernando? Your first thought might be to check the newspaper or do an online search for a specific lawyer. Either way, this could lead to problems for you. Some lawyers and law firms do a lot of marketing to mass audiences. You may not find one that is best suited to your own particular need.
Your first thought might be to check the newspaper or do an online search for a specific lawyer. Either way, this could lead to problems for you. Some lawyers and law firms do a lot of marketing to mass audiences. You may not find one that is best suited to your own particular need.
The same is true if you scan social media or consult with friends. An attorney who is good for one person and situation is not necessarily good for another. If your friend were treated for pneumonia, would that doctor be qualified to replace your heart valve? Probably not.
An attorney who is good for one person and situation is not necessarily good for another. If your friend were treated for pneumonia, would that doctor be qualified to replace your heart valve?
Probably not.
There is also the issue of privacy. It might be better to avoid your inner circle and be more objective in finding someone to work with you on such a personal issue.
The better way to proceed is to consult with a professional Attorney Referral Service (ARS). San Fernando Valley has a good one. The ARS consults with you by listening to your problem and then recommending the best possible attorney solution for you personally.
The recommendation might be that you don’t need a lawyer at all and that you can solve your problem yourself, maybe for free, and perhaps with the assistance of a community agency or organization (like the rent control board).
A good ARS will go beyond matching you with an attorney who specializes in your field of law. The goal is to make you successful and so an attempt is also made to find you an attorney who matches your personal style. The better you can work together, the better the possible outcome.
You want to find an ARS that is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and certified by the state of California and, of course, the United States. When you find a good ARS, you will find the right solution you are looking for, whether that is legal advice to you personally or the attorney who will partner with you until your case is resolved.
Are you in search for a certified attorney to represent you?
Let us help you find one today!