No. A lawyer is not required for you to represent your own interest, but you will be at a disadvantage if you do not know the applicable laws and how they apply, how to present your case, and how to focus primarily on these tasks when you might have very strong personal concerns about the case. OEA cannot give you legal advice or help you prepare your case. Be aware that the other parties may employ attorneys and an attorney always represents IDEM, and a non-lawyer participant will be held to the same standard as an attorney. A non-lawyer may not represent another individual as it is unlawful to provide legal services to Indiana residents and/or on Indiana legal matters without being authorized to practice law. See Attorney Representation in OEA Cases for additional information.