Legal Authority

The person I interviewed was William D. Hunter of Hunter and Associates. He is a defense attorney specializing in criminal and corporate law. A lawyer has abilities when it comes to the interpretation of law that people who are not used to thinking in an interpretive manner do not. “We teach the reader— over and over—how to approach a question: to start with the overarching principle, examine the fine point raised in the question, apply the analysis that courts use, and deduce the right answer. This skill is second nature to lawyers but not to students.”(Beatty xx) I made contact and found William D. Hunter because he is my girlfriend’s uncle and she worked in his legal office for two summers. Not only is Mr. Hunter an attorney but also he is well versed in the areas of litigation and ADR with extensive copyright and criminal law experience. “Litigation refers to lawsuits, the process of filing claims in court, trying the case, and living with the court's ruling. Alternative dispute resolution is any other formal or informal process used to settle disputes without resorting to a trial.”(Beatty 35) When Studying the law or legal questions expert help is essential and though judges do hear precedent and make decisions, lawyers are usually better versed on the actual nuances of the laws. “Lawyers have a different perspective—their primary goal is to protect their clients by avoiding litigation, now and in the future.”(Beatty 207) I knew that Mr. Hunter was a good choice for the project because in his experience he had mediated more successful than unsuccessful deals for clients. “Your lawyer's goal should not be to annihilate the other side. In the end, the contract will be more beneficial to everyone if the parties' relationship is harmonious.”(Beatty 208) Mr. Hunter’s firm but harmonious negotiation style has fettered many lucrative deals and long-lasting business relationships for his clients and their partners.