Apr 13, 2018 · Ten Questions to Ask Your Potential Lawyer 1. How long have you practiced law? At a minimum, you'll want to know about the lawyer's expertise and whether the... 2. What type of cases do you generally handle? What percentage of your practice is devoted to (the practice area in... 3. Who is your ...
Apr 09, 2015 · Please answer a few questions to help us match you with attorneys in your area. Select Your Legal Issue. Select Your Legal Issue. Airplane Business Transactions. Auto Accident. Aviation Accidents. Bankruptcy. Child Custody. Child Support.
One of the first things you'll want to ask a lawyer is about his or her fees. It's important to know what you will be billed for and what payment options the lawyer provides. This is an important question because it will allow you to determine if you can afford the lawyer's services. It's also a good idea to ask the lawyer about his or her ...
Choosing the right attorney to represent you can be crucial to your case. Before deciding whether or not you want to retain (hire) the attorney, you should interview the attorney to see if you think s/he is qualified, just as you would interview anyone that you are hiring to perform any job. (However, interviewing and choosing an attorney may not be an option if you are assigned an …
You should feel comfortable from the beginning of your attorney-client relationship that you will be able to have regular communications with your counsel. Make sure that you exchange contact information and agree on the ways that you will stay in touch.
Getting a lawyer with the right legal background is essential, but it is also important to know whether your attorney has experience with the judges who will likely preside over your case. If yours is a criminal matter, it is important to know if your lawyer knows the local prosecutors. This courtroom experience can greatly enhance your lawyer’s ability to evaluate the likely outcomes in your case and give you advice that you can rely on.
Attorneys in every state have an ethical obligation to advise you of any conflict of interest. Still, you should ask the question. If the lawyer’s representation of prior or existing clients would limit the attorney’s ability to represent you, there is likely a conflict. For example, if you want to sue a hospital that the potential lawyer regularly ...
In civil cases, your lawyer might propose mediation , a settlement negotiation process involving a neutral third-party. Other times, arbitration might be an option. Arbitration— using a private service to adjudicate a dispute—is a less formal, less costly, and faster way of getting a decision in some civil matters.
Your lawyer can often save you money by delegating routine tasks to firm employees who charge a lower hourly rate. However, your lawyer should be involved in all key aspects and decisions of your case, or should explain to you why a colleague can handle some important part of the matter just as well.
In cases where you are suing for monetary damages, the lawyer may represent you for a “contingency fee.”. This means the attorney gets paid a portion (typically one-third) of the amount you receive after a successful trial or settlement. Make sure you discuss expenses as well as attorney fees.
One of the first things you'll want to ask a lawyer is about his or her fees. It's important to know what you will be billed for and what payment options the lawyer provides. This is an important question because it will allow you to determine if you can afford the lawyer's services. It's also a good idea to ask the lawyer about his ...
Interviewing a Lawyer. It's important to interview the lawyer you want to hire to help you with your legal matter.
The first two steps to becoming a lawyer are earning a bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) and taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Then, the person must attend and graduate from law school. There are some states that have legal ...
The bar exam is a very rigorous test, which is about 6 hours of testing per day over the course of 2-3 days, depending on the state. The test involves multiple choice questions and essays on various areas of law meant to test a person's understanding of the law and capacity for logical thought. In addition to the requirements mentioned above, ...
Once a person successfully passes all of the educational and testing requirements, he or she must take an oath to uphold the laws of the state and the U.S. Constitution. Lawyers must also take part in continuing education in order to keep up to date with current laws and remain in good standing with the state bar.
An initial consultation can help you decide if you want to proceed with your matter with a lawyer, and if the particular lawyer is the right one for you . One of the first things you'll want to ask a lawyer is about his or her fees. It's important to know what you will be billed for and what payment options the lawyer provides.
An attorney who can answer this question well is an attorney who is attuned not only to the legal challenges at hand, but also to the way clients think about them. They’ve also likely worked with clients like you. They’ll be able to provide context upfront that answers your questions before you find yourself confused by a complex legal issue or legal language.
Although unexpected challenges sometimes arise and cause deadlines to be pushed back, attorneys should be able to give an estimate of how long each phase of the project will take. Make sure that these estimates seem reasonable and fit with the timeline that you have in mind.
Attorneys are responsible for divulging any potential conflicts of interest, even if they are never directly asked a question about them. However, it’s usually not a bad idea to inquire about them yourself.
No matter who you’re interviewing, it’s difficult to gain a complete picture of someone’s capabilities and personality over the course of an interview. This difficulty is compounded when you’re someone without a legal background who’s interviewing an attorney.
California Gov. Jerry Brown recently completed acting on the 1,217 bills that came across his desk this year. He has signed 1,016 of them into law, with the majority taking effect...
Meeting with a small business attorney is an important way to get your business off to a good start and minimize future risks. Here are questions to ask at your first meeting. New entrepreneurs have their hands full, making plans, developing products and services, and lining up financing.
A business lawyer can explain how to start a business and answer your business law questions. But more importantly, a lawyer can identify the risks you face and help you minimize them. When you meet with your lawyer for the first time, it’s a good idea to have some questions in mind.
Before starting a small business, you must decide how your business will be structured. If you do not form a formal business entity, your business will either be a sole proprietorship (with one owner) or a general partnership (with more than one owner). Legally, you and your business will be the same “person,” so if your business has debts ...
If you do not form a formal business entity, your business will either be a sole proprietorship (with one owner) or a general partnership (with more than one owner). Legally, you and your business will be the same “person,” so if your business has debts or is sued, you are personally liable for those obligations.
Federal laws range from anti-discrimination laws to health and safety regulations to wage and hour laws. You may need policies and procedures, handbooks, and training to ensure that you don’t inadvertently violate them. You must also comply with state laws relating to such things as the minimum wage.
All small businesses potentially have trademarks that they use to identify the business and distinguish it from others. Your business name, logo, labels, slogans, and packaging can all be trademarks, but you must take steps to protect them. You may decide to register a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Contracts protect your business by describing the rights and responsibilities of the parties to the agreement. A well-written contract can reduce the number of disputes that arise, ensure that you get paid for the work you do, and provide a clear remedy if one party doesn’t hold up its end of the deal.
It is not only important to find an attorney who has handled a good number of cases, but one who is knowledgeable about the charges you face as well. A lawyer who has had experience handling clients facing similar charges can save you a lot of time and money and most likely find you a better outcome overall.
When it comes to defending a client in a criminal case, experience is key. There are numerous benefits to having an attorney who has practiced for many years and successfully represented a large number of clients. An experienced attorney can properly advise you on what to expect throughout all stages of the legal process. He or she will also have the ability to anticipate the strategies or actions of the prosecution and can use that to help build you a strong defense strategy.
No lawyer should guarantee a specific result for your case and you should be wary of any attorney who makes promises about what the exact outcome will be. However, an experienced and knowledgeable attorney should be able to evaluate the preliminary information they are given about your case and make an assessment as to how it may likely play out. It is also important to find what your attorney thinks are the strengths and weaknesses of your case which will shape the defense strategy that he or she will devise.
Just as with the outcome of a case, no attorney can control every aspect of the legal process or guarantee exactly how the case will play out. However, your attorney should be able to devise a clear defensive strategy and a plan for how to proceed with your case.
A criminal trial is not only stressful, time consuming, and potentially costly, but also puts your fate in the hands of a judge and jury. Ask your attorney if you have the option of working out a fair plea bargain or if there are any other ways to avoid taking your case to court. 12.