The part about it teaching you more than the ban itself is the real takeaway. When I got hit with a cease and desist a few years back, I did the same thing, paid for one hour with a local guy and walked in with a printed list of questions. That hour saved me from a way dumber decision than the one that got me in trouble. The trick was writing everything down before the call so I wasn't paying $280 to ramble. Also asked him what he would do if he were me, which got me a straight answer instead of lawyer speak.