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Being a lawyer doesn’t mean knowing everything. Just like any other profession, law has so many specialties — such as family, criminal, corporate, real estate among others.
The American Bar Association warns lawyers to be cautious if they provide legal advice to friends and family, as it can create an attorney-client relationship and lead to ethical and legal risks.
Lawyers can even be sued if they accidentally give the wrong advice, even if it’s casual. It can also violate the professional conduct laid down by the bar association.
“It happens all the time and that’s not a debt you want to take on along with student loans,” Arizona attorney Lynda C Shely says.
The American Bar Association reports that four out of five lawyers will get sued for malpractice at some point in their career. It says that 70% of malpractice claims are filed against small firms that have one to five lawyers.
Being sued doesn’t always mean that the lawyers committed a crime, it can be due to missed deadlines, incorrect paperwork, or lack of experience. Many of these claims are also thrown out eventually — but not before putting a strain on the lawyers involved.
In this story, the woman had just started her career as a family lawyer but her friend wanted help with business issues related to her and her boyfriend’s company, which falls under corporate law — an area outside the woman’s expertise.
Given these statistics, it wasn’t out of line for this woman to be cautious as she understood the professional risks.
How lawyers can protect themselves and set boundaries
Young woman in professional attire holding a folder, confidently protecting her new career from free advice requests.
“If their question is outside of your practice area or you just don’t want to take them on as a client or give legal advice at a party, direct them to appropriate, relevant resources,” says Alexandra Sumner, a privacy consultant.
She also says you can find a tactful way to tell them you can’t answer their question.
If a lawyer is sure they want to represent someone close to them, there are no laws stopping them, but they still need to follow the same rules as they would with any other official client.
Mark Stobbs, director of legal policy at the Law Society, lists some precautions that lawyers can take:
Tell the friend clearly that you are only providing general principles, not formal advice
Ask them to seek formal advice from an attorney
If the lawyer is giving serious advice, make it officially clear the basis on which it is being given – keep proof of interactions and documents.
Entitlement in friendships isn’t harmless
Two women in a heated discussion at a cafe, highlighting a woman protecting her new career from free advice.
While the woman decided to step back, the situation quickly turned into cautionary tale on entitlement.
The couple’s true colors were on full display when she said no — humiliating and making fun of her in front of all their friends.
“Entitlement can stem from deep insecurity, privilege, or learned behavior where someone believes rules don’t apply to them. Narcissistic individuals often view themselves as superior, justifying their disregard for norms as their right,” Tracy Malone, a relationship coach dealing with narcissism and entitlement, tells Bored Panda.
She says you should stay calm and avoid engaging emotionally with entitled people. “Set clear boundaries or disengage entirely if it feels unsafe. Entitled people often seek a reaction your power lies in not giving it to them.”
The woman gave some updates about her situation after readers got curious
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Many people replied with advice on what to do next
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Cutting ties wasn’t easy, but the woman says it was necessary for her own safety
Close-up of a woman with a tear on her cheek, reflecting emotions from protecting her new career and seeing true colors.
The lawyer shared additional details about what happened
Woman refuses to risk her new career by giving free advice, revealing the true colors of her friends.
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Readers shared their own opinions and experiences
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I'm a senior visual editor here at Bored Panda and I enjoy a good laugh. My work ranges from serious topics related to toxic work environments and relationship difficulties to humorous articles about online shopping fails and introvert memes. When I'm not at my work desk, checking if every single pixel is in the right place, I usually spend my free time playing board games, taking pictures, and watching documentaries
I'm a senior visual editor here at Bored Panda and I enjoy a good laugh. My work ranges from serious topics related to toxic work environments and relationship difficulties to humorous articles about online shopping fails and introvert memes. When I'm not at my work desk, checking if every single pixel is in the right place, I usually spend my free time playing board games, taking pictures, and watching documentaries
I help people with their computers, phones, tablets, web sites, video equipment, etc, but if someone were to ask me to help with their Cray I’d decline because I can’t imagine I’d be useful. I sat on the one we had at Apple, and that’s the sum total of my Cray experience. I like to think they’d accept my “no,” but this poor girl prolly thought her dear friend would, too. Maybe it’s better I just say “What’s a Cray?” if I’m ever asked. ☺️
I help people with their computers, phones, tablets, web sites, video equipment, etc, but if someone were to ask me to help with their Cray I’d decline because I can’t imagine I’d be useful. I sat on the one we had at Apple, and that’s the sum total of my Cray experience. I like to think they’d accept my “no,” but this poor girl prolly thought her dear friend would, too. Maybe it’s better I just say “What’s a Cray?” if I’m ever asked. ☺️
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