Solicitors – A Guide To Choosing One

There are lots of good solicitors around, ones that really know what they are doing and who price their services affordably, but finding the right one for you and your circumstances can be a challenge. So, what do you need to consider when deciding which solicitor to hire?

Testimonials – Hiring a solicitor who has done work for a friend or family member is ideal as you will know what to expect if you hire them. If none of your friends or family members can recommend anyone, then looking online for unbiased testimonials is the next best thing. Recommendations found on blogs and forums are the most reliable as those giving them probably do not have a vested interest. You can also get some reliable leads by contacting professional bodies in your area, such as the local chamber of commerce.

Ads – It is increasingly common these days to see solicitors advertise on TV and in magazines. You should avoid choosing one of these solicitors, even though it may seem like the easiest option, because you will pay more and get a lower quality of service. They are kind of like the McDonalds of the legal world – convenient but not good for you. So, avoid the temptation to phone the number that they give you, and spend an hour or two finding one for yourself.

Specialty – Solicitors typically specialize in one or two areas of law, such as contract, criminal, land, intellectual property, etc. If you want to maximize your chances of winning your case then you need to hire a solicitor who specializes in the exact type of law that your dispute is based on. Whichever type of dispute you are involved in, there will be lots of solicitors in your local area that specialize in that legal field, so it makes no sense to hire someone who 'does a bit of everything'.

Hourly or Set Fee? – You can normally choose whether to pay a solicitor by the hour or to pay them a set percentage of the settlement that they win for you. If you think that you have a definite chance of winning, then paying by the hour is advisable as the total amount that you will have to pay will be less than if you take the percentage of settlement option. If you are short on money, or put your chances of success at less than 50%, then you will probably be better off giving your solicitor a percentage of your settlement should you win. At least then you will not be out of pocket in the event of your solicitor failing to win the case for you.

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 28th, 2010 at 6:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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