The truth about the fixing of Rights Attorney

As a practical matter, the fees lawyers charge tend to vary greatly. It is hoped that the following will help the potential client make at least some sense of attorney fees and how they are set.

NEVER HIRE AN ATTORNEY WITHOUT A WRITTEN FEE CONTRACT You might be surprised how many criminal defense lawyers do not provide written fee contracts. This is extremely dangerous and leads to potential problems. Often times an attorney who chooses not provide a fee agreement will tell the potential client that he will "start" the case at a very low price. Nevertheless, at every stage of the case, the attorney requires more money and threatens to withdraw from the case if he is not paid the additional sums. The result is that you can wind up paying much more than had you hired the attorney who seemed more expensive to begin with. A fee contract avoids these nasty surprises. Besides, why would any attorney not provide a written fee agreement that makes the obligations of both the attorney and the client clear?

AVOID HIRING AN ATTORNEY THAT WILL ALSO POST YOUR BOND While Texas does not prohibit an attorney from posting a client's bond, many states do because of the conflict of interest that exists. The role of a bondsman is to make sure you appear in court and a bondsman has every incentive to inform the court if you are not complying with the conditions of your release. On the other hand, your attorney is supposed to be your advocate and protect you from having your bond revoked in the event you do not fully comply with your release conditions. We have also seen cases where, when a client gets behind on his legal fees, the attorney posting a client's bond threatens, and sometimes does, have the client's bond revoked as additional pressure to pay the outstanding legal fees. It should be easy to see why hiring an attorney to post your bond is rife with conflicts and should be avoided. You should hire an independent bondsman and an independent attorney.

BEWARE OF LAWYERS WITH A VOLUME PRACTICE There are many lawyers out there that have a "volume" practice who offer to do cases at cut rate prices (often these cut rate prices are to "start" the case and the attorney does not provide a fee contract). Many times, the income of these lawyers is actually substantially higher than other more qualified lawyers. Here is why. Let's assume you think about hiring Attorney Smith. You found Attorney Smith in the yellow pages where he has a full page advertisement promoting low fees or Lawyer Smith has sent you, and thousand of other who had been arrested on a particular night a letter promoting his low fees. A yellow pages ad might cost Lawyer Smith $50,000 and he might spend thousands of dollars per month on mail outs. Because Attorney Smith gets so many calls from his ads and mail outs, he has to hire additional support staff to answer the phones and "screen clients" so that is more money toward overhead. Nevertheless, Attorney Smith is able to charge low fees because he has so many clients who respond to his ads and/or mail outs that he can make up for it and pay his overhead by running a volume practice. Often you will meet Attorney Smith for the first time in the courthouse when he shouts your name in the hallway. You will rarely, if ever, be able to get Attorney Smith on the phone to answer questions. If you resist pleading guilty and request a trial, many problems will arise. After all, how can Attorney Smith spend time preparing for trial and then sitting in a trial for several days? Simply put, he can't because the house of cards he has created with the volume practice will collapse if he cannot meet the dozens of other clients who have cases set on the same day. Nevertheless, don't feel sorry for Attorney Smith because he will often make much more money than the average attorney even after accounting for his high overhead. As a rough example, let's say Attorney Smith charges $2,000 per case but handles 500 cases per year. That amounts to a gross income of $1,000,000. Now, lets say another attorney who actually returns your phone calls and has time to prepare your case and represent you at trial if that is in your best interest charges $5,000 per case but handles 50 cases per year. That only amounts to a gross income of $250,000. In sum, if you have a simple case in which you know there are no legal issues to raise and you absolutely know that you do not want a trial and you are not going to want to ask your attorney many questions, it could make financial sense to hire Attorney Smith. On the other hand, if there is any chance that you want to fight your case or you think you will have questions for your lawyer, spend the extra money now or you will have to spend even more later trying to undue what Attorney Smith did, or failed to do, for you.

BEWARE OF LAWYERS SIZING YOU UP Unfortunately, we have heard of many lawyers who attempt to determine how much money potential clients have and then charges them "as much money as they can afford." We often see this with some California attorneys who advertise "national practices" on the internet. While it is admirable for an attorney to reduce her rate for a client with a low income, it is disgraceful for a lawyer to charge a wealthy client more than she would ordinarily charge because the client can "afford it." Beware of lawyers who seem to be asking questions that are designed to determine your income or assets that have no relation to the charges against you.

LEGAL FEES IN STATE COURT WILL DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF CASE This is probably obvious. In state court, fees will almost always depend on the seriousness and complexity of the case.

LEGAL FEES IN FEDERAL COURT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER There is a huge difference between state court and federal court. Almost all criminal defense lawyers are qualified to practice in state court. Nevertheless, very few criminal defense lawyers practice regularly in federal court. It is extremely dangerous to hire an attorney to represent you in a federal criminal case that does not appear regularly in federal court. Nevertheless, this means that there are very few lawyers to choose from if you are charged with a criminal offense in federal court. For example, in Dallas, there are probably less than 30 lawyers who appear regularly in federal court. Consequently, because of the limited supply, legal fees for criminal cases in federal court are often significantly higher than state court.

LEGAL FEES WILL VARY BASED ON THE LAWYER'S QUALIFICATIONS Again, this should seem obvious, although it is sometimes surprising what lawyers with minimal qualifications will attempt to charge a client. Some qualifications to look for is whether a lawyer is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in criminal defense attorney. Texas Board of Legal Specialization Another is whether that lawyer is AV rated (the highest rating) by Martindale-Hubbell, an independent entity that rates lawyers. Martindale-Hubbell Another is whether the lawyer has been voted a "super lawyer" by other criminal defense attorneys and how many years he or she has been voted a "super lawyer." Super Lawyers

FLAT FEE OR HOURLY FEE Generally criminal defense lawyers in Texas charge a "flat fee" for their representation (although they often charge a "split" fee as described below). An attorney should give you the option of paying an hourly fee, nevertheless, an hourly fee is generally more suitable for corporations that have very deep pockets. Individuals generally prefer the "flat fee" so they know in advance how much the legal representation will cost a the end of the day.

SPLIT FEE FOR PLEAS AND TRIALS Mostly all criminal defense lawyers in Texas will split the flat fee between plea and trial. For example. they might say that the fee for a plea is $5,000 but if the case has to be "set for trial there will be an additional fee of $5,000.  Moreover, research has found that, in a large majority of cases, a plea offer will get appreciably better only after the case is "set" for trial. Therefore, even in cases that will not ultimately go to trial, it is often in the client's best interest to at least "set" the case for trial. We would rather charge a fee in the middle (e.g. $7,500) and this way our advice to the client is not colored by the prospect of earning additional monies based on the advice we give and the client can make the decision as to whether or not to go to trial freed from the prospect of having to pay additional monies if he decides a trial is in his best interests.

CONTINGENT BONUSES We have encountered attorneys who attempt to charge a "performance bonus" if they can convince authorities not to indict the client, or if they win at trial, or if they get a case dismissed prior to trial. The Texas Lawyer Disciplinary Rules clearly prohibit such "bonuses" because they are "contingent" on a certain outcome. Texas Disciplinary Rules on Fees You would do well to avoid any attorney who does not follow the ethical rules of his or her profession.

EXPENSES In many cases, it will be necessary to hire a private investigator to investigate the case. In some case, it will be necessary to hire experts to assist the attorney or to testify at trial. It varies among attorneys as to whether these expenses are included in the legal fees charged. Again, however, it is important to have a written fee agreement so that it is clear who is responsible for these additional expenses.

Source: http://www.brodenmickelsen.com
Broden & Mickelsen - Criminal Defense Law Firm

Broden & Mickelsen specializes in the practice of criminal defense at both the trial and appellate level and in both state and federal courts throughout the country.

Si vous créez une procuration ?

There are a few rare exceptions such as the right to marry or to vote. As an individual and principal you can grant unlimited power known as a general power of attorney.

The Attorney in fact generally can only take action if the individual and the principal may exercise the same authority. This stops the Attorney in fact to act when the principal is struck disability. If a person is unable to sign a contract of fact Attorney is also impossible to sign a contract for the principal. But if you have a Durable Power of Attorney, the Attorney in fact is allowed to execute the powers conferred by the principal, even after the main falls ill.

When death ends a power of Attorney

If you have a proxy sustainable or that you do not, at the time of death any proxy ends. If the individual and the principal has granted the fact Attorney of rights to perform certain tasks, to death all these rights are completed.

How power of Attorney is revoked

As long as you are alive, you have the power to revoke the power of attorney. To revoke the power of Attorney, you should contact your attorney in fact that the power of Attorney is revoked. You can also in detail when the power of attorney will expire.

A power of Attorney depreciation

A proxy may be designed for spring in effect if you become disabled or some pre-set time or event. It is a power of Attorney depreciation. The depreciation proxy prevents your attorney in fact with powers while you are able to take care of them yourself.

The Attorney in fact must prove that the individual concerning your powers is in fact disabled and cannot perform the necessary tasks. You will need a document written by the doctor or the hospital that you are unable to.

It should be a current document and not several days or it could be questioned as to whether if you are still ill or disabled. So to save yourself, added agitation and be required to provide a more current document deal the same day.

Instant power of Attorney

Your proxy can become effective immediately, as soon as it is signed, it is the type of proxy people use when they are in another country for a long period of time and won't be available to address these issues. It is generally a durable power of attorney which will expire in one year. You can also have built provisions in proxies will you can how it. If you become incompetent or poorly when the power of Attorney expires, and you are de facto attorney or agent, shall go to the Court for permission to continue.

Medical decisions

When you have a durable power of Attorney, it can be used to allow your attorney in fact the power to make medical where decisions you unfit. Most individuals have separate power to prosecutors of financial and medical affairs. Sometimes the same person manages the two powers of prosecutors.

How to choose your fact Attorney

Since it is one of the most important documents in your life, it goes without saying it should be the most trustworthy of people with impeccably credentials that include your wishes and how to manage your business. Another thing to keep in mind is when you give someone this power, they have the ability to do what they want and may not follow your instructions. This is why you must be very careful. When it comes to money sometimes people do things in their own interest. Your attorney in fact is a trustee. This means that they are there to manage your assets to you and not themselves. The person you choose will be called difficult conditions. So usually it will be a member of the family or a close friend and sometimes an attorney you trust and respect. If you do not have a power of Attorney in place, it will fall to the laws of the State.

Jeffrey Broobin is independent author on family and finance issues; its main purpose is to help people during their period complicated life. Website: http://www.legalhelpmate.com Email: jeffreyb@legalhelpmate.com

3 Tips on the location of a reputable Attorney

It never ceases to amaze me how many criminal cases in Denver go to a plea bargain without an attorney. In the end usually I hear from a defendant just how unhappy they are with the process and the disposition of the case. Of course hiring an attorney was not an option because of the cost associated with hiring an attorney or lawyer, and usually I hear about their previous experience which wasn't a positive one. I think we have all hired an attorney or legal professional that just didn't seem to give the services they charged for, and that is exactly why I am writing this post.

Solid legal counsel is going to cost money; there is no way around that. Having excellent representation is worth more than handling negotiations with a District Attorney yourself; I have seen this first hand, over and over again. So with that being said, how do you locate that Denver attorney or Denver lawyer that is going to both fit your budget and give you the representation that you deserve?   First, start off with the consultation. It seems to me that most people will attend one consultation and then either hire that lawyer or not hire a lawyer at all.

What I have found is that attending three or maybe even four consultations is the best way to make a decision as to whether or not you will need an attorney. I have never recommended that someone not hire an attorney, but there are those rare cases where just handling the case yourself probably makes better sense. For example a simple traffic violation versus a criminal charge like domestic violence, in the case of the traffic violation, this might be a case where I would negotiate with the Denver District Attorney myself.

I know you are saying, "All this goes without saying, doesn't it?" Yes it does, but I want to make certain that I am clear. For serious charges, it is rare that a defendant does not benefit from consulting with a Denver Criminal Defense Attorney. Your Denver Criminal Defense Lawyer should be able to identify important pretrial issues and explain it to you in a way that you are never out of the loop. If you feel that your attorney is proceeding without explaining the entire process to you, then it is probably time for you to find a different attorney or stop the process and make certain you are completely informed.

This is why the consultation process was so important to begin with. It is never okay for you to just go with an attorney because you feel like they know what they are doing; make absolute certain that you know their experience is going to be a benefit to you. Seems to make sense while you read this, but how many times have you allowed an attorney in Denver to file a motion on your behalf without reading the motion? When you read the motion did you understand it?

If you did not understand the motion, did you tell the attorney to go ahead with the motion? Make sure you ask the simple questions and understand the ramifications of your case entirely, this will prevent future disappointment. It seems that whenever I hear a defendant complaining about their attorney or lawyer, they explain that the attorney never explained the sentence to them all the way or, "I never agreed to serve four years probation but that is what I received." Had they taken the time to understand their case and just throw it in the hands of their attorney they probably would have known about their sentence and they would not be surprised with the outcome.  

Be wary of entering into a retainer agreement which calls for additional payments if the case will go to trial, make certain that you nail the fees down in the beginning. I have had many experiences where attorneys have gone crazy with the retainer and it was spent in a matter of weeks. I am not suggesting that you constantly negotiate with your attorney about their fees; a good attorney is going to be expensive. I am suggesting that you not pay more than you have to. Find out what the retainer is going to cover and if that retainer is expected to take your case through trial.

It is not unusual for appellate lawyers to hear clients recite that they entered into guilty pleas after they were unable to come up with necessary funds to pay their lawyers to proceed with a trial. It is your responsibility to find out how much your case is going to cost. I can already hear your attorney giving you the most common, "Well, it really depends on whether or not we go to trial, if we go to trial would there be an appeal?" When I can't seem to get a straight answer from the attorney I move on to the next, it is not unreasonable to hear an estimate of what it will cost.

Of course a good attorney will inform you that they are uncertain because they do not want to be held accountable should your case cost more than originally anticipated which is completely reasonable. All we are looking for here is an estimate so that we can be prepared to go to trial if we need to.   In my experience, finding a good criminal defense lawyer in Denver can be difficult, here are some suggestions of resources I have found useful:  

1.)           Referrals - If you were arrested and incarcerated, then obviously what better crowd to ask for referrals. It seems inmates always know which criminal defense attorneys are worthwhile and which are not. This is not the absolute best source for referrals, but I do find more value here than asking an attorney for a referral. I don't want to be referred to an attorney just because they played golf with the attorney I asked for the referral from. However, if you do already work with an attorney or lawyer in Denver  that you trust, than this would absolutely be an excellent place to start for a solid referral.  

2.)           Courtroom Observation - Before you discount this one, stop and think. Doesn't it make sense that you would watch an attorney in the courtroom and see how they handle themselves? I have found an excellent attorney by just going to court and watching several cases.  

3.)           Directories - There are several competent law directories with excellent attorneys for all different sectors of law practice. If you are going to utilize a directory to locate your attorney then it is imperative that you interview a couple of different attorneys so that you are making an informed decision. Seems to make sense right? Again, I have heard over and over again, "We went with the first attorney we met with, he/she seemed capable". Don't get lazy, talk with a couple of different attorneys and make certain that you are happy with your decision don't get lazy, talk with a couple of different attorneys and make certain that you are happy with your decision.

No matter what happens you will need to deal with the consequences of the case. This is not the end all guide to hiring your Denver attorney, but a summary of some important things to consider when hiring an attorney. No matter what it is important to try and be as objective as you can and not get swallowed up with the emotions that are usually tied to a criminal case. Good advice, but usually difficult to follow. This article should not be considered legal advice and is simply a resource for those navigating their way through the many Denver Attorneys that are available.  

Denver Attorneys

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Whether you are looking to optimize your own site or hire a professional search engine optimization expert, there is much to know. Make sure that you utilize all of the resources online before doing anything.

Attorney's Fees - How to Avoid Large Legal Bills

Most attorneys make a good living and they do so by charging attorney's fees. This begs the question, what exactly are attorney's fees and what should I know about attorney's fees before I hire a lawyer? This article describes the different types of attorney's fees and provides a number of tips for determining which type of attorney fee is best for you.

A Few Minutes at a Time: The Hourly Attorneys Fee

Most attorneys charge hourly rates. Hourly rates are usually calculated by tracking hours in one, six, or ten minute increments. Some attorneys may even use hour increments. The rate attorneys charge per hour varies greatly based on the location of the attorney, the type of work to be performed, and the time required. It is not uncommon for specialized attorneys to charge in excess of $600 per hour. Most attorneys charge an hourly rate closer to $300 per hour.

While hiring an attorney who charges higher hourly rates may sound ludicrous, clients should understand that a specialist may be able to perform work much faster than a non-specialist. This is especially true if the non-specialist will have to bill a significant amount of hours to get up to speed on a legal matter.

One Successful Legal Issue at a Time: The Contingent Attorneys Fee

Contingent attorney's fees are also common. These fees are based on the success of the attorney in the legal matter. They are usually calculated using a set percentage. For example, a personal injury attorney may charge a contingency fee equal to 40 percent of any lawsuit recovery. These fees can routinely range from 30 to 60 percent.

Contingency fees may encourage the attorney to use his best efforts to resolve the matter. If they extend to settlements reached before the lawsuit ends, contingency fees may also encourage the attorney to settle the matter for any amount in the beginning of the case. In this case the attorney will have performed little work and in exchange for earning a fee - albeit a smaller fee that he may have earned for putting in more effort.

One Legal Issue Regardless of Outcome: The Flat Attorneys Fee

Flat fees are less common for attorneys. These fees consist of specified payment or payments denominated in a dollar amount. These fees can vary significantly, but they should relate to the attorney's estimation of how much time the case will take plus a profit component. Thus, a matter that will probably take ten hours for an attorney whose hourly rate is $300 per hour, might be offered by the attorney at $3,500.

Flat fees can help clients budget for legal costs, but they do have some drawbacks. Because they are not tied to the outcome of the case, the attorney may end up working faster and not smarter. Also, the attorney may be tempted to compartmentalize the job and charge a separate flat fee for each component. This can end up costing the client more than the contingent or hourly attorney fees they would have otherwise paid.

Conclusion

Clients should consider these options in deciding which attorney to hire. Ultimately, it is up to the client to negotiate an attorney fee payment arrangement that they are comfortable with. Most attorneys will be receptive to this type of negotiation.

Gary operates LawFiles. LawFiles is a free legal advice forum where attorneys answer legal questions submitted by users. It also provides free legal information, law-related tips, legal news, and free legal forms.

Reduce Attorney Fees - 7 Strategies That Can Save You a Bundle

No one likes to pay excessive legal fees, but few clients know the simple steps they can take to reduce attorney fees. This article contains seven strategies that can save you a bundle in attorney fees.

1. Avoid Unscrupulous Attorneys. Most attorneys are dedicated professionals who take great pride in their work and serving the best interests of their clients. Unfortunately, there are some really rotten ones out there that give the legal profession a bad reputation. Before hiring an attorney, learn about their reputation in the legal community. Avoid unscrupulous attorneys who have a reputation for doing unnecessary work, transforming simple legal procedures into complex ordeals, and making every dispute exceptionally acrimonious - all designed to maximize the attorney fees.

2. Understand How Attorneys Charge. Attorneys typically charge clients an hourly rate, flat fee or contingency fee. The type of case will largely determine how the attorney will charge for their services. For example, an attorney representing a personal injury victim in an auto accident case will typically charge a contingency fee (i. e., one-third of the recovery). An attorney representing an individual in a divorce or criminal proceedings may charge a flat fee. A business law attorney will charge a corporate client an hourly fee to negotiate a contractual relationship and draft the agreement.

3. Initial Consultation. The initial consultation is the place to explain your legal problem to the attorney, state your desired outcome, and ask five specific questions that will help reduce attorney fees. First, what is the attorney's initial assessment of your problem? Second, what steps would the attorney recommend to achieve your desired outcome? Next, how does the attorney charge for representation in your type of case? Fourth, what action can the client take to control the cost of legal services? Finally, if you retain the lawyer, what is the next step in the process?

4. Get A Second Opinion. If you are uncomfortable with one attorney's assessment of your case or have misgivings about their representation, seek a second opinion. There are many different ways to approach a legal problem. It is important that you establish a comfort zone when you retain an attorney and have confidence in their approach to your legal problem.

5. Understand The Attorney-Client Agreement. The Attorney-Client Agreement is the legal contract that defines the relationship between the attorney and client including a thorough explanation of how the attorney will be compensated and charge for expenses related to your case. For example, if the Agreement states that the attorney will charge an hourly fee, understand that every minute that the attorney spends working on your case (telephone calls, reviewing letters and emails, client meetings, etc.) will later show up on your statement.

6. Review Your Statement. Most attorneys prepare itemized statements that state how the attorney's time was spent and provides an explanation of the expenses. Be sure to review every statement for accuracy. If you don't understand a charge, ask for an explanation.

7. Don't Be Unreasonable. Unreasonable clients should expect to charged accordingly. One of the most important ways for a client to reduce attorney fees is by making informed and reasonable decisions about the management of their case.

Armed with these seven simple strategies, you'll be in a strong position to level the playing field when you hire an attorney and save a bundle on attorney fees.

Fred Reilly, J.D., LL.M.

Mr. Reilly is licensed to practice law in California, District of Columbia, Florida and as an English Solicitor. He has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of International Trade. Fred graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LL.M. in International Business Law), Cumberland School of Law at Samford University (J.D. and Associate Editor of The Cumberland Law Review) and Purdue University (B.S. in Management).

Mr. Reilly is the author of the Kindle ebook "Slash Your Attorney Fees" available at Amazon for just $0.99.

To order the ebook "Slash Your Attorney Fee" just click on the Amazon Kindle bookstore link below:

http://www.amazon.com/Slash-Your-Attorney-Fees-ebook/dp/B003UN7W6Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1299823357&sr=8-1

Les annuaires en ligne de procureur - comment évaluer un annuaire juridique sur Internet

There are a number of websites that claim have lawyers waiting to help. The reality is most of these Web sites are only Attorney directories created by teams that have no knowledge of the law or, in many cases, which have no connection to a real lawyer or a firm of marketing.

These online Attorney directories often end up by at the top of the results of the search engines. Marketing teams to ensure that this happens. It remains to you, the consumer who is looking for a lawyer, the obstacle to evaluate the Attorney Directory online. Here are some tips to assess counsel directories online that you are looking for the right lawyer.

Determine if the directory is a paid directory.

Paid directories are those that require lawyers to pay a fee to be included in the directory. Paid directories have generally information more precise contact area and practice. Prosecutors who pay to be included in the directory have interest in ensuring that their information is correct.

The disadvantage of these directories is that they can have little lists of attorney. This raises the question of what types of pay attorneys appear on an online legal directory. Of many successful lawyers do not have to incur this expenditure to practise. Other very good lawyers such an expense, but most of them do not know it regularly. For example, prosecutors who start everything just to, changing practice areas or are moving to another State can initially use these directories as they establish their new law practices. This is the type of lawyer you hire? If so, paid legal directory may be just what you are looking for.

Browse through the free Attorney directories.

Lawyer directories online not all free are bad. There are a few very good. Best online legal directories are generally the direct involvement of lawyers themselves. For example, several free online Attorney directories have forums where lawyers answer legal questions free. This allows the lawyers get the word out on their practice and their expertise, while helping to point people in the right direction.

Some other free online Attorney directories focus on the compilation of contact information for lawyers. Most of these directories compiles the information without any direction or comments from lawyers that are listed in the directory. These directories have distinguished themselves as they provide generally just a list of lawyers. These directories often scrape information from legitimate sites for the sole purpose of generating advertising dollars for themselves.

A recent trend is for these Web sites have a profile page for the Attorney who can be "claimed" by the Attorney. The purpose here is to bring visitors to the directory by using search engines, thus generating revenues of advertising for the directory. The directory can also expect counsel to be view profile and it "claim" by entering their information. Very few lawyers actually say profiles in this way. Indeed, many of them have to contact the legal directories and request that their names deleted from the directory. Thus, you should avoid any directory attorney said prosecutors should "claim" their profile.

Avoid Attorney rating sites.

Lawyers assist clients with a myriad of legal issues and the facts of each case are different. The work of prosecutors cannot be reduced to a number or other side. These rating systems often try to gauge an attorney by the number of years, that the solicitor was in practice. Older are not always better. Statistics show that most of the complaints filed with the state bar associations are filed against the solicitors who have practised a number of years. These complaints relate to failure to provide a customer service of quality of failing to keep abreast of the Act. It is quite rare to see the same complaints against the attorneys of the young people, this has no bearing on how the Attorney is likely to manage your particular legal issue. You should avoid directories attorney as counsel for the speed in this way.

Avoid the Attorney Directory which includes prices.

Lawyers are heavily regulated. The rules of professionalism of the Prosecutor for each State say that lawyers must charge a reasonable fee. What is reasonable for a particular issue is subject to a large number of factors. Unless you have provided all the information in the Attorney Directory, it should not indicate the price. This seems common sense, but there needs to be said. Avoid Attorney directories include information on the price.

These steps should help you identify the directories online Attorney that find you in the results of search engines.

Gary operates LawFiles. LawFiles is a free legal advice forum where lawyers answer legal questions submitted by users. It also provides free legal information, legal advice, legal news and free legal forms.

Hiring an Estate Planning Attorney - 7 Things to Know Before You Do

The Top 7 Things to Know Before You Hire a Wills, Trusts or Estate Attorney

You should consider several different questions before you sign an agreement with any attorney, but this is even more important when it comes to hiring a wills, trusts or estate attorney. This attorney will address sensitive family and financial issues that range from helping you pass assets on to your children and close family members, to protecting you from unnecessary taxes, to helping you determine the best person to make medical decisions on your behalf. This is why you need to know the answers to the seven issues discussed in this special report.

# 1: Does the attorney offer a free consultation and will he explain what will happen at this initial meeting?

An attorney should offer you a free, no. hassle consultation. First, meeting him or her will help to put you at ease and will give you a chance to discuss your case in a frank manner. You will also have a chance to ask questions and to determine if this is an attorney whom you can trust to address your legal concerns. Second, it gives the attorney the opportunity to ask you questions and to learn more about your case. You might discover that you do not get along very well with this attorney. Conversely, the attorney may realize that your case is not the type that he wants to take gold is not related to his field of expertise. For this type of relationship to work in an effective and productive manner, both you and your attorney need to be able to work together comfortably.

# 2 Does the attorney offer a flat fee for the services that he will perform and will this be put in writing?

Every attorney should use a written agreement, which is known as a retainer agreement. In this agreement, the attorney should clearly state the fee that you will be charged and honor this agreement. The attorney should clearly explain the fee, the services that he will perform, and should also clearly explain the options that are available to you to pay this fee. You should not sign this agreement until you understand how much you will be charged, what the attorney will do for you, what information he will need from you, any deadlines involved, and any other obligations that you are required to perform. You should always feel free to ask the attorney questions if you do not understand something in the agreement or otherwise. You should also ask about the expected completion of the work.

A flat fee encourages the attorney to work in an efficient manner and also prevents you from receiving an unexpectedly large bill upon the completion of the services. This can happen if it takes the attorney longer to complete the work than he initially thought.

# 3 Does the attorney guarantee his service? Will he refund your money if you are not completely satisfied?

Your attorney works for you and is being paid to help you plan your estate. You should not tolerate an attorney that will not refund your money if you are not completely satisfied with the work. Additionally, your attorney should be willing to revise your documents that he is initially drafting. However, after he has drafted them and you have expressed your satisfaction, you should not expect the attorney to revise these documents unless you have kept the attorney on retainer. Please note that no attorney will guarantee results if your matter is being litigated in court.

# 4 Will the attorney help you make wise choices about insurance, saving for your children's college, and retirement planning?

Your attorney should help you make decisions about the most appropriate documents and vehicles to accomplish your estate planning objective, purpose should also assist you with buying insurance, saving for college, planning for retirement, and all of the other challenging decisions that will arise. In fact, your attorney should have a team of trusted advisors in place in order to help you make the best possible decisions.

If your attorney is unable or unwilling to advise you on these matters, then you should seek out an attorney who will do so. Having such an attorney will prevent you from making expensive and unnecessary mistakes, and will save you time in having to hunt for additional advisors.

# 5 Does your attorney have a process in place to respond to your phone calls and emails quickly in case questions arise? Will your attorney keep you informed about how your matter is progressing?

Your attorney should be able to answer your phone calls, emails, and questions quickly. You are paying this attorney for service and for professional guidance and attention, not just for the drafting of your estate planning documents. How often have you heard from friends and loved ones about an attorney that takes days, weeks or more to respond to phone calls? Do not tolerate such unprofessional behavior. Ask your attorney about this and if he is unable to convince you that he has such a process in place, then continue your search for an attorney that will get back to you in a time efficient manner.

# 6 Does your attorney have a process for helping you capture and pass on not only your physical and financial wealth, but also your intellectual and spiritual assets, as well as what is important to you?

Some attorneys recognize that wealth is not measured solely by your net worth, by the value of your brokerage and retirement accounts, but is also measured by who you are as a person. Your intangible assets, such as lessons that you have learned over a lifetime of building wealth, or the wisdom you have accumulated through your life experiences that you would like your children to know more about, are very valuable, almost priceless. These should not be forgotten.

When deciding whether to hire an attorney, be sure to select someone who will help you capture, document, and pass on all of your assets, including those intangible ones that are often overlooked.

# 7 Will your attorney make sure that your assets are structured and owned in the right way?

You could hire an attorney at the largest firm around and pay him an exorbitant fee, but if your assets are not titled and owned in the right manner, then the plan that he created will not work for you. The attorney that you plan to hire should be willing to ensure not only that your documents are drafted correctly, but also that your assets are structured properly.

Do not be afraid to ask these questions before you hire an attorney to work with your family on legal planning matters. When you find an attorney that says yes to these questions, hire him or her quickly before the practice fills up and he or she stops taking on new clients. Asking these questions and hearing the right answers before you engage a lawyer to work on your wills, trusts, and estate will ensure you put in place legal planning for your family that will work when you need it.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please visit http://www.legalhelpmaryland.com or call Anthony Carducci at 888-628-2220.