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Congrats Sakamonda,I don't know of any attorney who will take a libel case on a contingency basis. Libel is insanely difficult to prove, and the burden of proof is on the accuser in libel cases, not the accused. In libel cases, you not only have to prove that the author maliciously fabricated lies about the accused (not easy to prove if the author insists they are true statements), you have to prove that the accuser suffered irreparable emotional and financial harm (i.e., losing a job or business income over the supposedly libelous statements), as well as permanent damage to one's public reputation. Tall orders to prove in court, all. This is why most libel/slander cases are brought only by people who are already quite wealthy and of some public standing.
Since none of the people I discuss in my memoir are wealthy or of public standing (nor would they be able to prove my statements are not the truth), I'm not worried about being sued for libel/slander. I will of course follow my publisher's legal advice on how to protect against potential suits (even frivolous "nuisance" suits) when/if offered a publishing contract. But the fact is, as Blair says, for someone to bring a suit against you, they a) must have a serious bone to pick and b) a lot of money at their disposal to pay lawyers, possibly for years, while the suit drags on.
I too write memoir. I do know that anyone can sue for anything. And I especially know a lot of attorneys will take on the most fruitless of cases and causes. I think you want to protect yourself very well as said above. And true I could invite 3 people over for dinner, they get sick off my meatloaf and two days later will have three entirely different memories and stories.