Working With A Lawyer Part 2
In a recent entry I discussed the topic of working with a lawyer. There are additional factors to keep in mind when working with a lawyer. As mentioned, legal services are like any other area of the service industry.
Lawyers charge for their time, i.e., they bill for their time. This is done according to their hourly rate. Lawyers set their hourly fee based on their experience, year of call to the bar, practice area and the market.
When looking to work with a lawyer ensure you are aware of the hourly fee. If the lawyers hourly fee is higher than something you can afford you might want to reconsider whether that is the lawyer for you.
Since, lawyers are billing you for their time, they will charge for phone calls with you and others on your behalf, they will charge for correspondence, they will charge for reviewing your file. Most lawyers will use their judgement when charging for emails. Lawyers will charge for meetings with you or the other party.
Always, keep this in mind when hiring a lawyer and working with a lawyer.
Some practice areas such as criminal law, the lawyer will provide you with a flat fee, i.e., block fee. This usually works out well for clients. Again use your discretion. Flat fees, contingency agreements and legal aid matters should not be abused. If you find you are continuously contacting the lawyer he or she might send you an additional bill for all the telephone calls.
Rehan Khalil is a lawyer in Mississauga.
anytime for a free consultation