It is important that you find the right lawyer who is the right fit for you and who has experience in the right area of law. Once you find that attorney, it is equally important that you put your trust in them.
Below are some questions that every person should ask before retaining an attorney.
1. When Should I Hire a Lawyer?
If you have a legal problem or you know that there is a possibility of a legal problem arising, you should hire an attorney as soon as possible. It is never too early to seek the advice of a lawyer. Your attorney will need as much time as possible to gather evidence, prepare your case for a possible trial, or negotiate with other parties to resolve your legal issue. In addition, your attorney may be able to shut down your legal problem before it gets out of hand if you contact them early in the process.
For example, if you know that you are under investigation in a criminal case, do not talk to the police or investigators until you have consulted with your attorney. Your attorney may be able to prevent charges from being filed and prevent you from inadvertently providing incriminating statements or evidence to the investigators. If charges are filed, your attorney will be better equipped to handle your case if they were involved from the beginning.
2. How Does the Attorney Charge?
As a general rule, attorneys will charge flat fees in criminal cases and contingency fees in personal injury cases. Business or corporate attorneys will charge an hourly rate billed against a retainer, a flat fee, or a contingency fee depending on the type of case they are being asked to handle.
Be sure to ask up front how much an attorney will charge and how they calculate their fees so that you will know what to expect and what you will have to pay. Each attorney has their own billing policy, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Attorneys understand that cost is a major factor for potential clients. They want you to be comfortable with the arrangement as much as you want to be.
3. What is the Attorney’s Motivation?
It’s important to understand what motivates your attorney. For example, some attorneys are motivated by money alone, some avoid going to trial when trial may be in a client’s best interest, and yet some attorneys are always confrontational and refuse to back down even when it’s in their client’s best interest.
At Coastal Law, LLC, we will try to resolve disputes out of court whenever possible but we will also go to war for our clients when necessary. Knowing when to negotiate, when to fight, when to wait, and when to push a case to trial comes with experience and there is no one strategy that fits every case.
It is important that you are comfortable with your attorney’s style and you should take some time to talk with the attorney about how they intend to handle your case. If you retain Coastal Law, LLC, as your attorneys, it is important that you are comfortable with us and trust us to safeguard your rights and your future.
4. What Experience Does the Attorney Have with Your Type of Case?
Possibly the single most important question is whether your attorney has experience with the type of legal situation that you are facing. If you need a heart transplant, you wouldn’t want a veterinarian to perform the surgery. Likewise, you don’t want to retain a lawyer who primarily handles real estate closings to try your criminal case. Talk to the attorney about the types of cases their firm routinely handles, whether they have handled cases that are like yours, how they handled those cases, and what the results were.
Call Coastal Law, LLC, today at (843) 488-5000 to set up a free consultation to see how we can help and whether our firm is the right fit for you.
