Low Income Contract Lawyer? Or Legal Help? ..Help!
May 1, 2017 11:33 PM   Subscribe

I messed up a contract sorta, I need some legal help. Please!

Hi. This is a bit of an eccentric question.

I am an aspiring tattoo artist. I live in a state that requires attendance through an accredited 'school' to receive licensing. The licensing is quite expensive.

I recently attended the school, was forced on leave due to attendance complications, and put on a probationary contract. Recently my contract was violated through means I thought to be flippant, and resolvable.

I am now wondering if I can contest the 'termination' of my contract through appeal. The initial impression I understand through this facility, is that just a little nudge from some legal advisement would be enough to potentially persuade them.

My concern.. I have never done this before(late, ish, twenties)- I've never pursued legal help independently. I'm concerned about process, and cost.

Can anyone give me any recommendations? I understand how vague this is, but it is only due to the nature of the subject. I really, really want/need to resume my contract. I expected this to be my sense of livelihood. It's so nerve-wracking.
posted by thewolfandewe to Law & Government (2 answers total)
 
First, search for "pro bono legal services [your city] [state]." In many states there are legal associations that either set up one day legal clinics or can put you in touch with other potential legal services for free. If all you're seeking is just a sternly worded legal letter, this shouldn't be hard to get out - but again it depends on what's available in your state, and you should be prepared to wait a bit (either for a clinic date to come up, or doing some searching to find the right service who can help you).

Alternatively, most states' bar association also have an attorney referral service that you can call, where you can pay a flat fee (usually under $30) to be put in touch with 2-3 attorneys who can talk over your case with you for 30 minutes and see where to go from there. In those contexts, you're interviewing the attorney, and can ask questions about fee scale, whether they'd be willing to charge a flat fee to simply help you write the letter with no further representation, and what they think are the merits of your case. If you don't feel comfortable with what's being discussed, you don't have to move forward.

Based off of what you've mentioned here, you'll need to bring a copy of the contract, and details as to what occurred and how you were terminated. Write down dates and times and details of all conversations and any emails, records, and the like related to the contract and the events that led to the termination, and bring that with you to any meetings with attorneys.
posted by Karaage at 4:29 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]


Definitely look into legal aid societies in your area. Also, you may want to check if other students at this school have had similar experiences. Your best legal course may turn out to be seeking a refund of fees paid, then a fresh start at an entirely new institution.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:36 PM on May 2, 2017


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