Say to the lawyer “I’d like you to represent me in [matter]. Is this something you can do?” You should make sure that the lawyer in question has expertise relevant to whatever it is you need to be represented for.
Answered Apr 12, 2022 · Author has 2.1K answers and 2.5M answer views. Treat your consultation like a job interview. You are asking the lawyer to enter a partnership with you. Be a person someone wants to join in a business partnership. Be polite, patient, understanding. Be genuine, not fake.
Give your full name and, if you are calling on behalf of the business, the name of that business and your position with it. If the attorney doesn’t prompt you to do so, then give a short statement of the nature of your legal need and list who else is in the …
Jan 05, 2018 · This comes down to two key factors: (1) do you like the attorney’s personality, and (2) do you think you can trust the attorney? If a voice in the back of your head tells you that something is just not right, it is normally correct. Listen to your instincts and make sure that you select an attorney that you think you can make a connection with.
Hiring an attorney can be a daunting process, especially because a litigant’s choice of legal counsel can dramatically affect the outcome of a case. In general, hiring any attorney will be better than trying to litigate a case without legal counsel, but most people should also consider whether the attorney selected is the right attorney for the case. The initial consultation is a fantastic opportunity to size up an attorney and determine whether they will be helpful or if better options may exist.
Of course, you should never lie to an attorney during an initial consultation, but it is not uncommon for clients to either forget to tell something to their attorney early on or not believe that a particular fact was important. Attorneys are not psychics and can only work with the information that you provide. If you have not told your attorney something critical, he or she will not know about it. At the initial consultation, it is always better to provide more as opposed to less information.Bring all relevant documents and talk your mouth off, please! This is especially true if the information is either scandalous or embarrassing (don’t forget, attorney-client privilege means that nothing leaves the room and your secrets are safe). It will be better for you and your case in the long run if absolutely everything is laid out on the table at first.
There are two types of legal fee arrangements: hourly rates and contingency. Hourly rates are the most common fee arrangements and can vary from inexpensive to in the thousands of dollars per hour. These rates often vary with an attorney’s practice area with anti-trust and commercial transactional attorneys charging the highest rates and family law and real estate attorneys charging the lowest average rates. An attorney’s hourly rates are generally calculated to the tenth of an hour so that clients are billed exactly. In addition to the lawyer’s time, the time spent by paralegals and assistants will also be billed hourly, but at far lower rates. If your case is taken on an hourly-rate basis, make sure the amount is comfortable with your budget.
An initial consultation with an attorney is not only your first meeting with that attorney but it is also the first time that the attorney is really getting to hear anything of substance about your matter. The initial consultation can be a powerful tool to help you succeed in court, but most new clients do not know what to do during this first half-hour to an hour-long meeting. A good initial consultation will lay a secure bedrock for your final decision on how to proceed. Hopefully, these tips will help ensure that your initial consultation is useful and productive for everyone.
As convenient as it might be, attorneys do not work for free. That does not mean, however, that an attorney is either unaffordable or a waste of money. When compared to unrepresented litigants, litigants with legal counsel statistically recover larger sums of money in court even after attorneys’ fees are paid. Not every attorney is a good deal; however, as attorneys often have different fee structures and rates. Finding the right rate to fit your needs is important and should be part of your strategy at the initial consultation.
Generally, there is no reason to re-invent the wheel. If a friend of your has met a good attorney and had a good experience, you will also likely have a good experience. Keep in mind, however, that every case is different, and that you should still search for an attorney who can handle your case. If you do not know anyone who has worked with an attorney before, online reviews are also normally a good resource to screen out bad attorneys.
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Hiring an experienced immigration attorney is hugely important if you are facing removal from the United States. Even though you might not be a U.S. citizen, you still have a right to defend your right to remain in the United States.
Unlike in the U.S. criminal justice system, the government will not provide an attorney for you at its expense. Therefore, you are on your own in finding and paying for an attorney.
The best place to search for a pro bono immigration attorney is on the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) website, at the page called Find Legal Representation. There, you will be able to access a list of free or low-cost legal service providers, sorted by state.
There are other attorneys who can offer pro bono legal services who might not be included on the EOIR list. You can contact the bar association (the professional association for attorneys) in your state either by phone or by visiting its website and requesting information on pro bono attorneys in your area.
In order to save money, many non-citizens turn to immigration "consultants," "assistants," or (if you're a Spanish speaker) "notarios." These people are not licensed to practice law in the United States. While some might mean well, others are frauds.
Ms. Smits is correct. Schedule a meeting with an attorney. Many offer free consultations so you should shop around to find one you are comfortable with. You don't need a letter. The attorney will draft a fee agreement once you decide to hire him or her...
Why not schedule a meeting with the lawyer instead? Sometimes meeting a lawyer face to face will let you know if he/she is the one you want for representation
Hello, Ms. Shelly, I am Chiara Facciani, heard about you and your work experience from my friend and she recommended your name for my future business plan. I would like to tell you that I am going to start a new venture for software products and services and I am looking for an attorney to help me in the following.
My name is Quinto Chevalier and I am writing this letter to bring to your kind notice that I filed a case against my neighbor regarding property endorsement through your firm and later on I found a change in lawyer appointment for my case discussion and management.
My name is Quinto Chevalier and I am a Social worker. I am working for women and child welfare society and now want to start my own NGO to expand my work in this field.
It is matter of great concern for me that while I was away from Seattle for 2 years, my ex-husband has got the authority of the house that I bought 3 years ago and it was in my name.
The reason for writing the letter is to let the lawyer know exactly what is needed. Simple language is the best. There is no need to try and impress him with big words. Using outdated phrases such as “in regards to” or “advise me” would be better simply put as “regarding” or “let me know”. Keep the letter short and to the point.
The Body Of The Letter. The body of the letter is the main reason for writing to the lawyer. If there are questions being asked, explain why they are being asked. If important information is being referenced make certain names, places, dates, and any other pertinent facts are included. This will ensure that the attorney knows exactly ...
Modified block format is when some parts begin on the right and some begin on the left.
The Fifth Amendment, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, gives individuals the right to have an attorney present whenever they are in custody and being interrogated by law enforcement . The Sixth Amendment provides individuals with the right to counsel during all critical stages of court proceedings. In practice, this means all persons charged with any crime for which incarceration is possible are entitled to an attorney from the very first court appearance. If you cannot afford an attorney in situations where the right to counsel applies, you may request a court-appointed lawyer free of charge.
Because legal proceedings are governed by complex sets of rules and laws, lawyers go through rigorous training and qualification.
The Right to Counsel. In criminal matters, the right to an attorney is in both the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the Constitution. The Fifth Amendment, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, gives individuals the right to have an attorney present whenever they are in custody and being interrogated by law enforcement.
In practice, after giving the Miranda warnings, law enforcement will often ask arrested individuals to waive their right to have an attorney present during questioning. Indeed, they might ask them to sign a document indicating they have been advised of their rights, understand them, and choose to waive them.
From TV and the movies, most people are familiar with the Miranda warnings given by police when they arrest people or otherwise restrain their freedom of movement . Those warnings notify the subjects of their right to an attorney even if they cannot afford one, the right to remain silent, and that their statements can be used against them in court.