Many employers realize the costs of legal issues and will often offer some type of legal plan available through payroll deduction, such as Prepaid legal. For as little as $20 a month, you can have some peace of mind, knowing that you'll have some options should a legal issue arise. Prepaid legal and similar plans enable you to receive services at a drastically reduced rate. Depending on the complexity of your legal issue, you may even be able to receive services for absolutely free. Usually in situations requiring only the drawing up of certain documents or a similar situation could possibly be free. Even starting bankruptcy proceedings could be free, depending on the type of bankruptcy you choose, the attorney you choose, as well as the legal plan that you have.

Legal Aid is a great option for people requiring legal representation or advice and are considered low income. Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to receive your legal services completely free, or at least at a drastically reduced rate. If you can deal with a few negative aspects, such as not always having an attorney available when you require advice, as they usually have only certain days and times that they're available, and not being able to pick and choose which attorney will represent you, then legal aid can really be a great help.

If you have an issue that qualifies, such as an injury case, or you were denied after applying for disability benefits and want to appeal it, you can often find an attorney willing to represent you for absolutely free. Of course it depends on the actual details of the situation so that the attorney can determine if it would be worth him or her taking on the case. If the attorney feels that he or she has a good chance of winning the case, he or she will agree to represent you for no upfront cash and you can just pay the attorney fees out of whatever settlement, or in a social security case, benefits that you receive.

If you're quite resourceful--and have a little bit of luck--you may be able to nab a private attorney who isn't affiliated with legal aid willing to take on your case pro bono, whether you win it or not. Attorneys who offer their services pro bono usually volunteer their services either a small number of times a year, or specifically to those in lower income brackets. To find a pro bono attorney in your area, either calling an attorney referral service or going to the American Bar Association's website.

It's not always necessary to pay astronomically high attorney fees. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation and you require immediate legal representation yet you don't have the cash, it is best not to panic. Panicking only exacerbates the situation, and is totally unnecessary. Although it may seem impossible, there is always an attorney available to provide the services that you need, at a price you can afford. If you check around, you should be able to find attorneys willing to allow you to make payment arrangements, especially if you've dealt with that particular lawyer in the past. If you can't find one willing to accept payments then call your local legal aid office. Even if you don't qualify to be represented by an attorney through legal aid, you could still be referred to an attorney who bases his or her fees on the amount of money that you earn, which should make paying for the legal fees a lot easier.