Some people undergoing adverse situations may choose to forego lengthy court trials. Instead, they opt to live with and put up with the unfavorable circumstances. Their most common reasoning is that they are concerned that the legal advice and court trial will be overly expensive.
While you might also think that this common reasoning is valid, it will be a different story if you understand the different attorney fees. Because once you know the various costs involved, you will be able to understand how best to handle the situation.
Everything You Should Know About Attorney Fees
If you will look back, the number of federal civil cases that proceeded to trial in 1962 was approximately 11.5 percent. Compare it to the number of civil cases today that actually go to trial in federal courts, estimated to be around 1 percent, and you’ll see how the attorney fees and other costs play a significant role in this big difference.
Still, if you find yourself in this kind of situation, remember that these are not fixed fees. In fact, they will vary greatly, and it all depends on the type of legal proceeding or issue at hand and your attorney – regardless if it involves civil rights, bankruptcy, commercial employment, or other legal cases.
So before hiring an attorney to represent you in your case, you first need to be aware of the various fee arrangements and attorney fees you might encounter:
Consultation Fees
Lawyers are no different from doctors. If you need to ask them for advice, you have to pay a consultation fee. So, if you’re seeking professional legal advice from an attorney, you will have to pay this fixed or hourly fee on your first visit.
One reason for charging consultation fees is to prevent people who simply want to ask questions and are not urgently needing legal services from flocking to law offices and taking up a considerable amount of the lawyer’s time. With cases being different from one another, the most likely scenario would be that you will be paying the fixed consultation fee upfront before the law office can accommodate you for expert consultation and legal representation.
Flat/Fixed Fees
Attorneys may also charge a fixed fee that is all-inclusive. This flat fee is typically applied for cases that are more straightforward. So if your routine case is one that will be quick to complete and close, you may be charged this type of fee.
Preparations of will, tenant evictions, and uncontested or undisputed divorces are examples of legal cases where the lawyer usually charges a flat or fixed fee rate. These types of cases usually only require submissions of minimal paperwork and standard forms and won’t involve lengthy trials, litigation settlements, and court hearings. Therefore, if your case falls under this category and can be resolved easily and quickly, you can expect your attorney to ask for this fixed fee.
There are instances, though, where some cases appear to be simple and straightforward at first but get complicated due to unforeseen events. If your civil rights issue experiences this situation, your attorney may charge you additional fees.
Retainer Fees
This type of fee is a non-refundable deposit that you will have to pay in exchange for legal services. It will serve as a funding source or money pool used for case-related expenses in the future.
But remember that this fee doesn’t imply the service quality given by the attorney. Instead, it only guarantees your legal representation.
Hourly Fees
Most attorneys charge their clients on an hourly basis. Since their time is precious and needs to be divided wisely among their clients, lawyers are diligent and careful about managing their daily schedules. So, even if you only take a small fraction of your attorney’s day, you will still have to pay the appropriate hourly rate.
Remember that the fees you pay may vary because it will depend on the attorney’s experience, specialty, location, and background.
Stop Getting Annoyed by These Fees
Getting to know and comprehending all of these fees will help you brace yourself better if you ever need to hire an attorney. However, if you come across someone who charges outrageous fees, you can seek the guidance of experts like Judge Donald Black. These legal specialists can assist in the investigation of any attorney malpractice.