We solve legal problems.
Below you will find information about specific areas of legal practice including:
AUTO INJURY CASES
STATE and FEDERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE
DIVORCE and CHILD CUSTODY
CIVIL and REAL ESTATE LITIGATION
AUTO INJURY CASES
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you will soon be contacted by an insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster works for the insurance company, not for you. The adjuster is under no legal or moral duty to protect your rights. The adjuster may be nice and professional. He may tell you that the insurance company has accepted liability and will pay the claim. But how much will they pay? The adjuster will tell you that they cannot give you legal advice and then sit in silence as you make mistakes that could cost you thousands of dollars.
One of the first things he will do is attempt to obtain a recorded statement. Never give a recorded statement without consulting with an experienced injury attorney first. The recorded statement may seem harmless, but it is carefully designed to elicit information that may be harmful to your case. It is critical that you know your rights immediately, so that you can protect yourself from further financial harm.
You can get the information you need by calling us for a FREE consultation or by requesting my FREE book, The North Carolina Auto Injury Book, including 20 Secrets to Maximize Your Recovery. It is for sale at Amazon.com or yours free if you call (877) 593-4233 or (910) 341-7570. The information is absolutely FREE. If you choose to employ us, there is no fee unless we win. Call now! We will look forward to hearing from you.
STATE AND FEDERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE
Everyday in court I see people attempt to handle criminal charges themselves. It is almost always a disaster. I want to grab those people, pull them aside, and say, "Let me help you, please, before this gets worse!” I am ethically forbidden from doing that. If I could grab them and pull them aside, the information contained on this website is what I would tell them.
First, being charged does not have to be the end of the world. Just because you are charged does not mean you are guilty of anything. Your goal must be to achieve the best result possible under the circumstances. In order to do this you should hire the best lawyer you can. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Follow your lawyer’s advice. Make good decisions. If you do these things, you will reach your goal.
A criminal charge always presents a challenge, but sometimes it is our response to a challenge and not the challenge that defines us. A challenge can be an opportunity. This criminal charge may be your opportunity to improve yourself, get back on track, and reach your potential in life. Call now and we will develop a plan to meet this challenge head-on without sacrificing the goals you have for yourself and your future.
DIVORCE AND CUSTODY CASES
When a marriage begins, we all have romantic visions of growing old together. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many marriages end in divorce. When they do, it is almost always difficult emotionally and financially.
Divorce is difficult because divorce affects two very important areas of our lives: our children and our finances. Sometimes divorce is brought about by misconduct and sometimes by distance. Sometimes it is simply a case of two good people who are not good together.
In any of these instances, it is important to secure an effective divorce attorney who understands your objectives and is will to fight to protect the things that are most important to you. Your attorney should develop effective solutions, not compound problems and perpetuate disputes. We can help you through these difficult times because of our compassionate, aggressive, creative, and cooperative approach to divorce and custody.
Learn how to protect yourself, your assets, and your relationship with your children. Also, learn what not to do in a divorce case. The decisions you make now will affect you and your family members for the rest of your life. Get the information you need to make good decisions. How much will my divorce cost? Can I get custody of my children? Call (910) 341-7570 today or CLICK the "Divorce and Custody" button for the answers to these and other questions.
CIVIL and REAL ESTATE LITIGATION CASES
Learn whether you have a case or a defense. Learn how you can manage your liability and your expenses efficiently and effectively. The decisions you make now may determine the outcome of your case. Get the information that you need in order to the make the decisions that give you the greatest opportunity for success. Do I have a case? Do I have a defense? What is involved in the litigation process? CLICK the "Civil Litigation" button for the answers to these and other questions.
Deficiency Action and Bank Litigation
Recently, we have seen a lot of litigation involving banks. Bank litigation is common when there has been a sudden drop in the value of real estate. When the value of an asset drops and the debt remains constant, a dispute will often result.
The most common type of bank litigation in this real estate market is a deficiency action. A deficiency action arises when an individual has barrowed money to purchase real estate and then is unable or unwilling to pay back the loan. The bank forecloses on the property, and then sues the barrower for the difference between what was borrowed and what was recovered for the property after foreclosure. These lawsuits sometimes arise after a short-sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.
Usually, we represent the borrower in these situations. The borrower is usually under a great deal of stress. Often, she has always paid debts. She has never been behind on a mortgage or loan repayment, but does not have another option based upon the realities of the real estate market and her own personal finances. She has tried to get help from the banks, and found that the banks just want another payment.
These people should contact us immediately and without further delay. We can give them information, share our experiences, and help them understand best- and worst-case resolutions for these complex financial problems. Whether you are a developer with hundreds of properties, or an individual with under-water investment property, we can help you put together a strategy that will address these liabilities without unnecessary harm to your financial future.
Our Focus:
Every client is our most important client. That has been our core philosophy since this firm was founded in 1997. We recognize that there are hundreds of lawyers whom you could choose to help you with these challenges. If you place your trust in us, our commitment is to do all we can to accomplish your legal objectives—limited only by the law and our ethical requirements. We realize that nothing is more important to you than your finances, your family, or your freedom. We’re a small firm with big-firm record of success.
Please take a moment to read a few of the client testimonials included on this site. These are people we have represented in situations similar to yours. We approached their legal problems just as we will approach yours...with all that we have.
Who will pay for the injuries that you sustain because of the carelessness of another person? An experienced injury lawyer in Wilmington, North Carolina, can help.
We all have an obligation to each other to act responsibly. We must conduct ourselves in a reasonable and prudent manner. When one of us fails to act responsibly, he or she exposes the rest of us to a risk of injury. If someone is injured because of carelessness of another, the law requires the careless person to pay for the damage that he or she causes.
Injury does not follow every negligent act. But a momentary lapse of judgment can cause the life of other human beings to be torn apart forever. Whether it is a catastrophic North Carolinatraffic crash or an accidental drowning in a Wrightsville Beach pool that was not properly fenced, some acts of negligence have devastating consequences. Such incidents, caused by another person’s negligence, demand a direct and deliberate response—not only for the sake of justice, but to recover the expenses that follow for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and even funeral expenses. The Wilmington personal injury attorneys at Speaks Law Firm are ready to assist you in holding the negligent person and his insurance company responsible, and in getting you the fair and reasonable compensation to which you are entitled under the law.
Charged with a crime? Your reputation, career, money and freedom may be at risk. The lawyer you choose can mean the difference between winning and losing.
If you have been charged or believe you may be charged with a crime in one of North Carolina's state or federal courts, you need to act now. The decisions you make in the hours, days, and weeks to come may affect you for the rest of your life. You have rights. What are they? When should you use them? Should you "answer a few questions" or ask for a lawyer? Should you give the police consent to search? Should you submit to a polygraph or lie-detector test? Does it make any difference that they did not read you your rights? Can you just explain why you did it? Do you have to prove that you did not do it?
Just because you were charged with a crime does not mean you will be found guilty. It does mean that you will be required to make decisions quickly. Good decisions are almost always the result of good information. You will get much of your information from your criminal defense lawyer. If your lawyer gives you good and reliable information, then you will make good decisions. If he does not, then you will not. The lawyer standing beside you when you make these critical decisions can make the difference between winning and losing, between vindication and incarceration, and between freedom and imprisonment.
As criminal defense lawyers in North Carolina, we can assure you: this is a critical time in the life of your case. If you have been charged with a drug offense, DWI, financial crime, larceny, domestic violence, sexual offense, crime of violence, or other offense in Wilmington, New Hanover, Brunswick, or Pender County, or anywhere else in North Carolina, you need to begin now. You need to make sure that your side of the story will be told. Call Speaks Law Firm toll-free at 877-593-4233 today to ensure that your rights are protected and that you have the reliable information that you need. Sometimes people don't call until they have already made a mistake that will cost them dearly. Don't make that mistake. Please call now.
An established tradition of sensitivity in North Carolina family law
Divorce and custody cases can be heartbreaking and painful. They are almost always emotionally and legally challenging for all of those involved. Because most divorce and custody cases are emotionally charged disputes, your lawyer must be careful not to add fuel to the fires of conflict. He must listen to your concerns in order to understand the important issues and establish your priorities. He must work to identify solutions and evaluate alternatives. He must fight when it is necessary—and compromise when it is not.
It is possible to negotiate through a divorce, child custody revision, or request for domestic violence protective orders without poisoning family relationships or destroying a family's finances. When the Speaks Law Firm represents you, you can be assured your Wilmington divorce and custody lawyers are committed to achieving your family law objectives without destroying your family.
Your divorce does not have to be a disaster. We can negotiate with your spouse’s attorneys to resolve as many issues as possible through compromise, allowing the parties—rather than a judge—to control the outcome. Call us locally at 910-341-7570 or statewide toll-free at 877-593-4233 to learn how we can help bring your situation to a resolution that will allow your family to move forward in a positive direction even after divorce.
General Information
From the coast to the mountains, North Carolina is as beautiful as it is unique. Wilmington and the surrounding areas are great places to live, work, and visit, with a rich history and charming culture.
Even though North Carolina is a wonderful place, sometimes we are faced with legal challenges. In New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender Counties and throughout North Carolina, the lawyers at the Speaks Law Firm are committed to providing exceptional legal service whenever these legal problems arise. Founded in 1997 by R. Clarke Speaks, the Speaks Law Firm has become a regional leader in developing comprehensive solutions to complex injury, criminal, family, and civil litigation problems.
We work diligently to solve these conflicts outside of the courtroom through cooperative means. Because we work cooperatively to develop comprehensive solutions to these complex legal problems, we are usually able to reach our clients' objectives without going to court. However, sometimes court is unavoidable. We practice in different but complementary areas of the law. This gives us a broad range of experience. As a result, when we must go to court, we go with confidence because we have the experience, skills, and relationships to be successful when we get there.
