Research Can Save the Mineral Owner Money. While this article leans heavily on the side of self-help as the best way to reduce legal costs, it does not mean attorneys will not do the work for you. They are, after all, in a service profession. Remember Abe’s wisdom – all an attorney has to sell is his time and advice.
If you lack the funds to pay an attorney up front, see if the attorney will agree to a contingent hourly fee to be paid out of the bonus when the lease is signed . The attorney may want an increased rate or flat fee kicker to make up for the risk of the deal not going through.
Even if you are an experienced lease negotiator, an attorney can still add value by: knowing the local market, what other leases are going for, and who is active in the area. knowing common negotiation points, points the company leasing your property might give on, and those which it will not.