About
We Help You Understand Legal Procedures and Concepts
Are you:
A party in a legal dispute representing yourself ("pro se" or "pro per"); or
An attorney needing to develop practical litigation knowledge for a current or future lawsuit?
You are not alone.
The truth is —
- More and more people each year are left with no choice but to represent themselves in civil lawsuits because they simply cannot afford an attorney; and
- Many attorneys graduate law school (and pass their bar exam) without essential litigation knowledge — like how to take an effective deposition, craft pleadings and motions, or handle a difficult or evasive trial witness.
At Legal Seagull, we want to help level the playing field so that:
- Non-attorneys can become their best advocates; and
- New (or transactional) attorneys can dramatically reduce their learning curve in the litigation process.
What We Do
Legal Seagull started as the brainchild of litigation attorney Neer Lerner after observing countless non-attorneys represent themselves in lawsuits (“pro se” or “pro per”) — often with poor or unremarkable results. Neer noticed that even when these pro se litigants had a strong or decent case, their lack of experience and litigation know-how caused irreparable damage to their cases.
In studying the conduct and scrutinizing documents filed by self-represented parties, Neer saw these pro se parties make these harmful errors:
- Babble on and on in court because they didn't know what to say;
- File court motions that were unclear, disorganized, and hard to read;
- Deviate off-topic and irritate the judge (not a good idea);
- Fail to follow court procedures and formalities; and
- Other embarrassing blunders that hurt their case.
Neer recognized that the legal system was inaccessible to millions of Americans due to ongoing budget cuts to legal aid services — leaving many good people with no option but to represent themselves in legal matters without an attorney — even though they lack basic litigation knowledge and courtroom experience. And he wanted to level the playing field.
No one should be shut out of the legal system simply because they cannot afford to pay an attorney. In 2014, Neer founded Legal Seagull with the goal of empowering people who could not afford an attorney with a fair chance in the legal arena.
Our Mission
Legal Seagull's mission is to make the justice system accessible to all people regardless of background, remove the barriers that make legal concepts and procedures impossible or difficult to understand, and empower you to become an effective courtroom advocate.
We simplify complex legal procedures, issues, and language, and teach them to you through:
- Moderately paced, interactive and realistic, professionally created video litigation tutorials;
- One-of-a-kind video simulations of court hearings and depositions, acted out by professional actors, so you can visually grasp and digest the material;
- Sample court documents that provide inspiration for your case; and
- Other legal self-help products designed to help you navigate the legal system with confidence.
About Our Founder
Neer Lerner is a litigation attorney who represents people injured by the negligence of others, including cases involving premises liability, vehicle collisions, construction injuries, medical malpractice, and animal attacks. He also has substantial experience litigating cases in the areas of entertainment, business disputes, and employment law. Neer was selected to the 2019 and 2020 Southern California Rising Stars lists featured in Super Lawyers Magazine.
Neer has been practicing law since 2009 and is licensed in California and federal courts in the Central District of California and New Mexico. He is the principal attorney at Lerner Law Firm, PC, where he represents individuals in personal injury, employment, and consumer claims. He has lectured on litigation topics to a national audience and is recognized by Lorman Education Services as Distinguished Faculty.
Even though Neer rarely shuts up about legal topics, he would rather you know him by his fun side — which slips out occasionally in the video tutorials.
- He loves reading and watching documentaries — especially about Cold War history and epic sports rivalries;
- He really enjoys grilling on his BBQ even though he overcooks steak 46% of the time; undercooks it 47% of the time; and 7% of the time people actually love his cooking;
- He’s an avid chess player and racquetball enthusiast (and is known in both more for his trash-talking than his playing abilities);
- When he's not down at the courthouse or playing with his kids, he's working on Legal Seagull so he can help make the justice system accessible to all people who are willing to do a little studying and planning.
From the Courthouse to the Film Set
After founding Legal Seagull, Neer observed the awesome power of HD video tutorials to transform educational experiences in other areas of life and saw an opportunity to expand his reach.
He thought: Why not do something different, something that has never been done before.
Most legal instruction is taught through books (which are amazing and informative — but tend to be dry and written for experienced attorneys).
What if he could incorporate the power of video at Legal Seagull to transform the legal education experience? Video instruction would make it easier to explain and demonstrate procedures like how to:
- Appear before a judge in court;
- Take and defend depositions;
- Introduce exhibits into evidence at trial;
- Deal with a difficult, uncooperative, or dishonest trial witness;
- Cross-examine a witness, etc.
His idea grew: What if we could hire professional actors, build a courtroom “set,” and create a realistic courtroom simulation around a fictitious court case — where a party represents himself against an opponent who is represented by an attorney?
Neer shared this vision with his good law school friend— trial attorney Elliott Malone — and they began to collaborate and co-present a series of comprehensive video tutorials and courtroom simulations, which were shot in beautiful HD at a film studio in Bulgaria.
Elliott — who was selected to the 2019 New Jersey Rising Stars list featured in Super Lawyers Magazine — contributed his considerable litigation knowledge, jury trial experience, advocacy skills, and common-sense litigation approaches — to help make these videos more robust and multi-faceted with his insights and humor.
More About Elliott Malone
Elliott Malone is a litigation attorney who practices in cases involving consumer protection law, real estate matters, and business litigation. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and New York.
Elliott is recognized as a Top Rated Consumer Law Attorney in Cresskill, New Jersey by Super Lawyers Magazine (2019) and has been the recipient of the Avvo Clients' Choice Award every year since 2016.
Fun facts about Elliott:
- He loves dogs (and has many);
- He has an active real estate salesperson license;
- He has consulted in areas of intelligence and security;
- Believes that giving is more valuable than receiving; and
- Is passionate about helping the legal field regain its status as a noble and rewarding profession.
You will see Elliott provide valuable commentary, analysis, and techniques alongside Neer in Legal Seagull's video litigation tutorials.
How Can Legal Seagull Help You?
Here are some of the legal topics that Legal Seagull can help you navigate with video tutorials and sample documents:
3 Ways We Can Help You For FREE
In addition to our premium content, we offer the following pro bono material to help you along in your legal journey.
You can:
- Join over 9K subscribers on our YouTube channel to find valuable videos and content that can introduce you to legal fundamentals.
- Scroll through our website and read the Legal Seagull's articles — where you'll find all kinds of tips, techniques, and tactics to help you navigate the legal system.
- Listen to Legal Seagull's podcast and explore aspects of the American civil legal system. You'll learn tips to handle your legal disputes inside and outside of court — so you can protect your rights, your money, and your reputation.
What Do You Stand to Gain?
The material provided by Legal Seagull — especially the video litigation tutorials and sample motions and filings — will help you confidently and competently navigate legal proceedings from pre-trial to the moment the judge or jury gives a verdict.
But there is an even more critical question.
If you cannot afford an attorney and are representing yourself pro se, what do you stand to lose if you attempt to handle a lawsuit without an adequate foundation of litigation knowledge?
Allow Legal Seagull to help you understand the litigation world so you can become your best advocate today.