>But lawyers are expensive

Maybe, but it can also be VERY expensive to NOT have a lawyer.

I have a lawyer that offers free 30 minute initial conversations. But I also practically beg her to charge me for her time because it's valuable to me to get her take on the situation.

This is an example of the Vimes Boots theory. If you are well enough off that you can afford a lawyer, you might be better off in the long run, while someone who doesn't have the disposable income for a lawyer can end up losing more than the cost of the lawyer.