Whether you are a defendant of a plaintiff in a lawsuit you
are going to want the best lawyer to represent you. No one
thinks about ever being involved in a court case. So why
would you know what to look for in a quality lawyer to
represent you?
Depending where you live you will learn that there is an
endless list of lawyers to pick from. You may be wondering
why there are so many out there. Well depending on how much
you know about the law there are many degrees to it and
different areas a lawyer can study in. Say you had a case
that involved medical malpractice you would look for a
malpractice lawyer and so on.
Not everyone is positive that they need legal
representation to handle their case. If you are filing
small claims case merely on principal then you may be able
to represent yourself. This isn't something that most
people know off hand. This is why you would contact a
lawyer who offers free consultation. Whether you are using
the phone book or searching on the web you will usually see
if they offer this right away. Most lawyers do, it is in
the best interest of both parties. They don't want to waste
their time and you don't want to waste your money. Once you
both have agreed that you are in need of a lawyer's service
then the cost can be discussed. The first payment
arrangement is based on retaining services. Payment
arrangements are usually acceptable. Make sure that is
something that you both have discussed and agreed on.
Some lawyers work on what is called contingency.
Contingency is what the lawyer will earn if your case is
won. There is usually no up front costs for this. The way
it works is your lawyer will take around 33% of the money
awarded to you in your case. So if you had a case that was
for an award amount of $1500.00 your lawyer will take about
$500.00 or so.
When you are involved in any kind of lawsuit your main
objective is to win it. This is where hiring the right
lawyer for your case is crucial. Just because you see a
lawyer advertised all over TV and on billboards doesn't
mean they are the best. You want to check out some things
your self. Word of mouth can be a helpful way to find good
legal representation. Of course not every one is
comfortable discussing their case so it might not be the
way for you. Ask you lawyer questions; find out all you can
about their experience. A good lawyer will be happy to show
you their record and do all that they can to assure you
that you are making the right decision. You shouldn't feel
you are taking a huge risk with who you chose.
Most people don't ever anticipate a need for a lawyer so it
is hard for them to know what to ask and do before
obtaining their services. Unless you are a Business
Corporation or proprietor you wouldn't really already have
your own lawyer. So if you find your self in need of a
lawyers service you should ask them the right questions.
Also remember this is something they may affect you
financially or criminally. You don't want a lawyer who
takes on multiple cases at once for really low rates. You
should feel that they are focused on your needs and are
determined to win you case. You also want them available to
answer your questions when you are feeling uncertain about
your suit.
Be wise and chose a lawyer with an excellent success rate
and good reputation. This is your key to winning or losing
your case.