> Getting a lawyer, at a minimum, means forking over a few hundred dollars just for some advice. Going beyond that we're talking hundreds to thousands more for

> Getting a lawyer, at a minimum, means forking over a few hundred dollars just for some advice. Going beyond that we're talking hundreds to thousands more for the lawyer to merely write a letter. This has not been my experience at all. A few years ago I had a dispute over a commercial lease agreement with my landlord. I did all the research I could and wrote a short summary of my position on the matter, along with a few relevant citations. I made an appointment with an attorney and asked that she write a lease addendum that terminated the lease immediately and held harmless both parties, which included my reasoning for doing so. I paid her $120 for her time to write the letter, and it was invaluable as leverage in negotiating with my landlord - there's a big difference between saying "I'm gonna sue!" and bringing a document to the meeting prepared by your attorney to resolve the disagreement. Hiring an attorney doesn't have to cost a fortune - you just have to take steps to minimize the time they have to spend on your case.