Frequently Asked Questions

 

Legal Frequently Asked Questions

How much do lawyers charge?

How do I choose the right attorney?

 

How Much Do Attorneys Charge?

Not all attorneys handle cases in all areas of law. In fact, most attorneys specialize in a specific field of law. As a result, the rate that attorneys will charge will depend on the type of case they are handling for you. The cost to handle hour case will depend on:

  • The type and complexity of the work.
  • The likely length of the case.
  • How many attorneys and staffers are working on it.
  • The prestige of the lawyer or firm.
  • Sometimes, your own ability to pay.

In many cases , your lawyer won’t be able to give you a specific fee amount before the case is over, because circumstances vary too much from case to case. Lawyers are, however, barred by law from charging excessive fees. An attorney should be able to provide a rough estimate based on what they know prior to starting work on your case.

You should know that attorney fees are independent of any court costs or fees you’re expected to pay in the case. These can include charges for a court reporter, testimony from expert witnesses or secretarial time. Again, your lawyer should be able to give you at least an estimate of this figure.

Types of Rates

Many attorneys charge hourly rates. These vary greatly; a divorce lawyer’s standard hourly rate is likely to be much lower than the hourly rate of a big-city litigation firm. Hourly rates are rarely set in stone, but you can expect it to be in the hundreds of dollars per hour for attorneys and $25 or more for paralegals. In an ongoing matter like a lawsuit, you should get billed once a month. Attorneys will sometimes set up payment plans for clients who can’t pay right away.

Lawyers use fixed or flat fees for routine matters whose length they can predict, like an uncontested divorce, a simple will or a personal bankruptcy. You’ll know the amount of this fee from the start.

In a retainer fee arrangement, you pay in advance for services you know you’ll need in the future. You’re paying partly to make sure your lawyer is available when you need him or her, so you pay regardless of whether you have legal problems. This is usually used with a specific case, but companies that offer prepaid legal services are also charging a retainer fee.

Contingency fees are used in cases where you stand to win money -- generally personal injury lawsuits, in which you’re suing someone who illegally caused you some type of harm. You agree with the lawyer in writing that he or she can take a certain percentage of your winnings. This is usually a fairly high percentage, because if you lose, you both get nothing.

Occasionally, the law requires a lawyer to charge a specific fee; this is called a statutory fee and is not common outside of wills and trusts matters.

Low-income people may be entitled to a court-appointed public defender, a free defense attorney, if they’re charged with a crime. In civil cases, people with low incomes and people with cases that an advocacy group thinks can change the law may be able to get a pro bono, or volunteer, attorney. A legal aid organization or other public-interest legal group can tell you whether you qualify to receive pro bono services.

 

How to Choose the Right Attorney

Choosing a lawyer is absolutely one of the most important decisions you can make when facing legal proceedings, because who you choose will have a huge impact on how the case turns out, what you pay and other important factors. Unfortunately, there are thousands of lawyers out there competing for potential clients’ attention. And just like any other profession, all lawyers are different in skill and experience. Choosing the right attorney can seem overwhelming. Here are some helpful tips for choosing the right lawyer:

Get Referrals
If you’ve never had to hire an attorney before, the first thing to know is that not all of them do the same kind of work. Most lawyers specialize in particular areas of their profession, just like surgeons and teachers. So it’s important look for someone who handles the kind of case you have.

Bar associations can help by providing referrals to appropriate attorneys in your area. Most state and local bar associations provide a free referral service; sometimes these services are certified, which means they only provide referrals to attorneys without discipline problems. They’ll ask about your problem, then give you names and contact information of lawyers who can help. Sometimes, they’ll also set up an appointment for you; sometimes it’s up to you to contact the attorneys. Referrals from family and friends can also be helpful, as long as they’re referring you to the right type of lawyer. But beware of uncertified referral services or false law firms that may take your money without helping you.

Do Your Homework
Before you call any attorney, look up his or her disciplinary record with the state bar association of your state. These are public records maintained by the state agency that licenses attorneys; if they’re not online, you can call to ask how to look them up. The attorney should be licensed to practice law in your state and have little or no disciplinary record.

Visit their Website
You can also evaluate attorneys simply by looking up their Web sites. Attorneys’ Web pages will generally talk about their years of practice, the cases they’ve handled and the results they’ve gotten. Again, look for someone with plenty of experience handling cases similar to your problem and see if they have a testiminials page that shows satisfied clients. If they don't have a website, you may be able to find profiles of the attorney in legal directories, such as the i-Lawyer Source legal directory.

Shop Around
Finally, you should meet with at least a few different attorneys before choosing one. At an initial consultation, you tell the attorney about your case and he or she outlines your legal options, the law in your case, and the cost of representation. Bring any paperwork connected to the case. Not every consultation is free, but most are, and they should never be expensive. At the least, you should ask about:

  • How much experience the lawyer has with this type of case.
  • Results of similar cases he or she has handled.
  • How long the case could take to resolve.
  • How much and how you will be expected to pay.

Choose someone who answers your questions honestly, who communicates well and who treats you with respect and courtesy. Legal services are an expensive personal service; you have every right to avoid providers who make you uncomfortable. After all, when it comes to lawyers, there are plenty of other fish in the sea.