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Do I Have to Hire a Lawyer?

If you are sued individually (meaning it is you as a person named in the lawsuit and not your business) you have the right to represent yourself (this is called proceeding pro se). There are significant risks to this, because even a simple misunderstanding of the procedural rules can seriously disadvantage you, and without knowledge of the substantive law you may miss important defenses. 

If your business is named in the suit, it must be represented by a licensed attorney in order to present any defenses or counterclaims in the lawsuit, and your business can be defaulted (meaning the court enters a judgment against it) if you do not have a lawyer to appear on its behalf.

Often if a small business is sued both the individual owner and the business are named, especially in wage and hour cases which allow for personal liability.  In that case you don't usually need two different lawyers- the same attorney can represent you individually and your business.


Learn more here about what to expect as a defendant in a civil lawsuit.

Need Help Responding to a Civil Complaint?

Contact Us
Do I Have to Hire a Lawyer?

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  • Home
  • Estate Planning
    • Massachusetts Wills and Trusts
    • Why You Need an Estate Plan
    • Massachusetts Estate Tax
    • Inheritance Tax
    • How to Make an Estate Plan
  • Employment Law Solutions
    • Employment Law MA
    • Employment Termination
    • Sexual Harassment at Work >
      • Sexual Harassment in a Small Business
      • Sexual Harassment and Non Disclosure Agreements
      • Sexual Harassment and Remote Work
    • Wage and Hour Laws
    • Independent Contractor Law
    • Non Compete Agreements >
      • Are non competes enforceable
      • Massachusetts Non Compete Act
      • Pre 2018 Massachusetts Non Competes
    • Equal Pay Act
  • Business Law Solutions
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Stowell Simonton
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Contact