A person would want to select an attorney who is proficient and competent in that particular area of the law. For example, if you have been involved in a personal injury, you would want to select an attorney who has some experience and training in that area of law. Law is very specialized and many attorneys specialize in a few areas of law.
This varies quite dramatically depending on the type of the case, the particular lawyer you select, the arrangement you work out with the lawyer, the geographic location in which you reside, and other factors. Most importantly, it may depend on the complexity of the case and the number of hours required for the lawyer to provide his or her professional skills.
Many attorneys will provide an initial consultation for free. This will give you the opportunity to meet the attorney and see if you like their attitude and comportment, and generally feel comfortable with that person handling an important aspect of your life.
This depends on what type of agreement you sign and often what type of case is involved. Sometimes lawyers are paid on an hourly basis, by a flat fee or by contingency fee. In an hourly fee arrangement, the client pays the lawyer an hourly rate. Lawyers' prices vary quite dramatically geographically. For less complex legal matters an attorney and client can work out a flat-fee arrangement. Uncontested divorces, simple wills, and other more routine legal work are ideal for flat-fee agreements.
Contingency fee arrangements are typical of lawyers who represent plaintiffs (remember the plaintiff is the person or company who sues) in personal injury tort and employment discrimination cases. In a contingency fee arrangement, a lawyer is paid only if (contingent on) the plaintiff prevails in the lawsuit. In other words, if your lawyer takes your case on a 30 percent contingency fee arrangement, you will not pay your lawyer directly. Rather, the lawyer receives 30 percent of your recovery or award.
No, contingency fees are not available for criminal cases and are frowned upon for family law cases as well.
Yes, some attorneys work on retainer, but a retainer is usually for a business or a person who has many legal issues for which they need regular legal work. This business or individual will pay an attorney (or usually a law firm) to work on retainer. This means that the law firm will be on call to provide a variety of legal services for that client.
Sometimes the word "retainer" is used for the term down payment. In other words, some high-profile family law attorneys will require a 5,000 Dollars retainer to handle a complex divorce. This means that the client has to put up 5,000 Dollars initially out of which the lawyer's fees are drawn in the beginning. This will likely not be the total cost of the case but simply the initial monies that are paid to the lawyer to get the attorney–client relationship started.
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