Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P30 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 278 LEGAL REPRESENTATION Self-Representation If a case is simple a person may wish to represent himself or proceed pro se. The courts usually discourage self-representation because legal practice requires special skills and an unschooled pro se party is usually at a disadvantage in court. Even attorneys are well advised to hire another attorney for personal legal problems. Advertising Many attorneys advertise their services. Attorneys must obey all applicable advertising laws and must follow rules of professional conduct related to advertising. Under these rules they may not make false or misleading claims create unjustified expectations or compare the services of another attorney unless the comparison can be factually substantiated. An attorney may not make in-person or live telephone solicitations unless the attorney is related to the person or has a professional relationship with the person. An attorney may not contact an individual after he or she indicates a desire that the solicitations cease and an attorney may not coerce or harass prospective clients. Aside from these and similar restrictions attorneys generally are free to use the various media to promote their services. Duties and Obligations legal representation places duties on both the client and the attorney. The client should provide the attorney with all information relevant to the case and keep the attorney apprised of new information. The client should be completely honest about the case with the attorney. The client also should follow the attorney s directives. The client has an obligation to pay the attorney for the representation. If the client does not make timely payment the attorney may decline to perform further work for the client. An attorney also may discontinue representation if the client wants the attorney to perform an unethical or illegal act the client lies and refuses to correct the lie the client makes representation unreasonably difficult or the attorney discovers a conflict of
