Business Article - Finding a Lawyer
Many people see finding a lawyer as an expensive process, and there are certainly a large number of lawyers who charge exorbitant hourly fees and have lots of expenses, but these are far from the only lawyers available. In many cases, a competent lawyer with experience handling your particular kind of situation is enough and should be right within your price range.
One of the easiest ways to find a lawyer for most is through personal connections. If you have any friends who are lawyers themselves, they will usually have a strong network of acquaintances within the local legal community, and should be able to put you in contact with a lawyer who is familiar with the experience relevant to your case. A more general way of finding lawyers is through a lawyer association service with the bar association. When you are researching a lawyer, don't just ask about the lawyer's experience in the field that you are interested in, but also try to get a sense about the lawyer's people skills.
What are some of the characteristics that any good lawyer should have? Communication skills are one of the most vital things a lawyer can have. They should be able to explain your options without being confusing or having to use any more technical terms than necessary. If a lawyer has a strong understanding of your problem they should be able to describe what you need in plain English. A good lawyer should also have enough time and resources to focus on your case, so you don't get lost among a large number of other clients. A good lawyer should also be able to explain clearly at the outset what kind of things you can expect, and what the lawyer will be able to provide you with in exchange for your money. When you are billed for your lawyer's activities, you should be able to get a full break down of the bill which identifies all of the administrative fees, the hourly fees, and lets you know exactly where your money is going at the office. Finally, it is of course important that you are comfortable with your lawyer personally and that your lawyer is polite, capable of dedicating the right amount of time and attention to the case, and capable of being trusted and keeping secure any confidential information that you share.
Hourly rates for a lawyer may vary from around fifty or seventy-five dollars an hour to hundreds of dollars per hour. Often the rate that a lawyer will charge will be closely tied to where the lawyer's offices are. Big city lawyers charge the most, while lawyers who have their offices in suburban areas are significantly more affordable. Most lawyers charge a retainer, which is a down payment against the future expenses of handling your case. You should make sure to have your lawyer inform you when your retainer is reaching its limit, so you know what your financial situation is at every point and don't let your legal fees run away with you. There are other ways that you can pay for a lawyer as well - lawyers in some cases work on contingency, which means that they will receive a certain percentage of any final settlement or recovery after a trial. Most personal injury cases are treated in this way, which provides a strong motivating factor for the lawyer to win the case. In the event that the case is lost, you then owe the lawyers nothing, so this is one of the safest financial options for you, but only available in specific types of cases.
Before you begin working with your lawyer, you should have the lawyer's estimate of how much time it may take to resolve your problem, and also working from that get a sense of how much money your case is going to cost in total. Good communication with the lawyer's office about the status of your bill throughout the entire process is key to making sure that costs do not run away from you and that you do not spend more money than you will realistically be able to repay. When you meet your prospective lawyer for the first time you should have a list of questions about how the lawyer will operate, such as on what kind of basis will you be in contact, how often will you be billed, how familiar the attorney is with the kind of law which will come into play during the case and how earlier cases worked out, the estimate (as explained before) of how long the case is likely to take and how much it will cost, and finally some references that you can check to see what it has been like for previous clients of your lawyer.
As you begin to work with your new attorney, try to keep an active role in your case. Ask intelligent questions of your lawyer and be involved in the decision making process to ensure the most favorable of all possible outcomes. You may be able to reach a settlement early on without having to take your case to court, or there may be aspects of the case that only come to light after you begin brainstorming with your lawyer. Put in the effort and time to find the most favorable outcome and you can end up saving money in the long run and forming a strong relationship with your lawyer, which will help you immeasurably in the future, should you need to make use of your lawyer's services again. The worst kinds of client for a lawyer to have is someone who comes in with a lot of unsorted information at the beginning and then expects the lawyer to work through all of it without providing much clear explanation of what is needed. Do what you can yourself, and you can avoid paying high legal fees for such things as organizing your own records - who knows, you might even find that there is a simpler way to solve your problem if you put the effort into thinking clearly about your case and organizing your thoughts and records.
At the same time, remember that being actively involved doesn't mean that you should constantly be on your lawyer's case. Most lawyers will have multiple clients at any one time, and you should understand that it does take some time to make progress. Depending on the quality of the case it may or may not be worth making daily communication with your lawyer. Less is more, if you have taken the time to think about what you will be discussing and have your thoughts in order. Don't use your expensive time with the lawyer to try to figure out what you need to know - know what you are interested in learning or deciding in advance so that you can use your time together most effectively. If there are personal resources and papers that you can bring to the lawyer's office yourself instead of having your lawyer come over (and charge you for the time) or send a courier, do that on your own. Also, educate yourself about the basics of the law in the area of your case so that you can keep up during proceedings and know that everything that is happening in the courtroom makes sense. You may want to try spending a little time in court as an observer before your case goes to trial (if indeed, it is likely to go to trial) to become more comfortable with the setting and get an idea for the pace at which the court system runs.
If you keep these things in mind, you will be able to save a great deal of money and time in the long run with a lawyer who is well equipped to handle your case. To recap, while it is convenient to find a lawyer through personal connections, also consider searching for a lawyer through Consumer Affairs, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, an online web site that has listings for lawyers, or a referral service from your local bar association. Once you find some candidate lawyers for your case, ask them about their experience, check their references, and see what kind of reputation they have, both professionally and personally. During the time spent handling your case, be involved and stay informed about the law that applies to your situation and the options which are available to you. If you take an active role in your case and make sure that you are prepared whenever you meet with your lawyer or have to do something in court, you will be able to make informed decisions and get the most use out of your lawyer. Be as responsible as you can for everything that you have the ability to help with, and you will end up with the best result, as well as a relationship with your lawyer that can be of great value to you in the future. Good luck finding a great lawyer!