Many people believe they need an attorney’s services only to solve a problem or to get out of a difficult situation. Often‚ the best time to see an attorney is not when you are in legal trouble but before that trouble occurs. Preventive law is one of the most valuable services that a lawyer can perform. By eliminating potential problems, preventive law can save you time‚ money‚ and needless worry.

Upon being retained as your legal counsel‚ your attorney should expect that you will:

• Be completely honest about all facts concerning your case‚ whether or not they are favorable to you.
• Be on time for appointments and not take up an excessive amount of time with visits or phone calls relating to minor details or petty matters.
• Take his/her advice.
• Understand that no lawyer can guarantee results in a contested matter.
• Be patient and understand that legal matters are rarely “open and shut” cases; they require time and research.
• Pay a reasonable fee for the work performed.

Legal fees are set and determined by an agreement or contract between the attorney and the client. The agreement as to what the attorney is to do and how much the client is to pay may be oral or in writing. The amount of the fee and the basis for the charge are determined by a number of factors:

• The amount of time spent on your problem
• The attorney’s ability, experience, and reputation
• The results obtained
• Overhead costs such as secretarial and para-professional assistance‚ investigators‚ and other personnel
• Your ability to pay

The primary types of fee arrangements are:

• Hourly rate, in which the total fee is determined by the attorney’s hourly charge times the number of hours required to do the job.
• Fixed fee, in which a specific amount is agreed upon for a known service, such as divorce, bankruptcy, will, incorporation, contract, and defense of a criminal charge.
• Contingent fee, in which the attorney receives a percentage of an amount recovered on the client’s behalf. The client always is expected to pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in prosecuting the litigation. If no recovery is made‚ the attorney receives no fee.
• Retainer is merely a method by which the attorney is paid. This is when the client makes a “down payment” from which the charges that accrue as the work progresses are deducted.

A lawyer who has the right background can often save you time and money, all the while getting the best result possible.