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Find attorneys and lawyers in California for all types of cases,
including personal injury, dog bites and more
Browse this site to find an attorney in
California. If you were searching for an attorney you have come to
the right place.
Here are some questions on how to hire an
attorney or lawyer:
Why do I need an attorney?
The courts of our nation have become very complex, and it can be
very difficult for people to find their way through the system
without special training. Even when judges are understanding, trying
to represent yourself can cause undue delay in the resolution of
your case, and even small procedural errors can be very damaging to
the outcome of a case. In most cases, the best way to protect your
rights is to hire an attorney.
How much does an attorney cost?
The cost of an attorney can vary substantially. Some types of cases
are more costly to litigate than others. For example, hiring a
lawyer to fight a traffic ticket will cost a lot less than hiring a
lawyer to fight a felony criminal charge. Also, different lawyers
charge different rates. It is not always true that the best lawyer
costs the most, but the best lawyers usually do not charge the
lowest rates.
Meet With The attorney
The only way to determine how much your attorney will cost is to
ask. Most attorneys will not quote a price before scheduling a
consultation, where they can learn the facts of your case. The most
important thing is that you feel comfortable with the attorney, and
ideally with the fee. Please remember that a "retainer" is not the
total fee. Some lawyers quote a retainer that reflects what they
believe the case will cost. Other attorneys quote a very low
retainer in order to get the client to hire them, and then bill the
client for additional work.
Negotiate
You may wish to negotiate a "flat fee" for your case. The purpose of
a flat fee is not to save money - most "flat fee" arrangements will
end up costing you more than an hourly agreement. The purpose is to
provide peace of mind - you won't be charged more than you can
afford if your case turns out to be more complicated than the
attorney initially believed.
If appropriate, you may ask the attorney to quote a maximum fee for
the case that is being billed by the hour. This can be a good way to
test the reasonableness of an attorney's retainer - unless the
attorney is working with you because you are unable to pay more, if
an attorney quotes you a $500 retainer but refuses to quote a
maximum fee, you probably should go elsewhere. While a case may have
complexities which render it impossible to quote a maximum fee, such
complexities should also be reflected in the retainer - a $500
retainer ordinarily indicates that the attorney views the case as
simple.
You can also ask an attorney for a lower hourly rate. Don't be
surprised, however, if an attorney will not agree to a lower rate.
Good attorneys usually have more work than time.
Contingent Fees
Many attorneys take certain types of civil suits, particularly
personal injury cases, on a "contingent fee" basis, where they do
not charge an attorney fee unless they recover money for you. Please
note that there are legal costs involved in litigation, and that
ordinarily you will be required to repay those costs even if you
lose. Every state limits contingent fees for personal injury and
workers' compensation cases. If your case is potentially worth a lot
of money, you may be able to negotiate a reduction of the attorney's
contingent fee - however, the best personal injury attorneys are
sometimes able to recover substantially more money for their clients
than attorneys with lesser skills, resulting in a greater award to
you regardless of the percentage taken by the attorney. In Michigan,
the standard contingent fee is one third of the total recovery.
Legal Services & Law School Clinics
If you do not have a lot of money, you may be able to obtain free or
low-cost legal services through a "legal services" office, or
through a clinical program at a law school in your state. Often,
even if you do not qualify for those programs, they can refer you to
attorneys who take cases like yours at a reduced rate.
Search for a certain type of California
attorney
How to hire an attorney
Questions to ask your attorney
3 Most popular California attorney searches:
- Asbestos attorneys
- car accident attorney
- legal malpractice
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