Giwa Ihesha
Member
Where can you find the perfect lawyer for your case and what fees should you budget for?
No one approaches a lawyer just to say "hi". For you to want to reach out to a lawyer shows there is a problem that requires a solution.
Therefore, before you take the step to approach a lawyer, these are things you should have at the back of your mind and prepare for:
Know the perfect lawyer for your case!
Have it at the back of your mind that there are thousands of lawyers but not all of them are suitable for your case. What you need is a lawyer who has knowledge and experience in the field you need help with.
Every lawyer can have an idea about your problem, but a lawyer who specializes in that area will have mastery of the issues, know the laws that apply, be up-to-date with the techniques for winning such a case and can sincerely tell you your chances of winning the case.
If your problem is around relationship issues, marriage, custody, child support, access to children, maintenance, settlement of marital property, breach of promise to marry and similar cases, the best lawyer for your case is a family lawyer.
For land matters, property purchase or sale, tenancy, and the likes, the best lawyer for your case is a property lawyer.
For shares, dividends, stocks, investment and so on, the best lawyer for your case is a Security and Exchange lawyer.
For company registration, post-incorporation matters and company cases, find a corporate lawyer.
For crimíñàl matters and police cases, find a crimíñàl lawyer.
Find the lawyer that specialises in the area you need help with.
Lawyers are not kept in any particular place, so you have to make efforts to find the right lawyer.
That you have a lawyer in your family does not mean that lawyer is perfect for you.
When you approach a lawyer, ask the lawyer, "Please, I need the services of a lawyer but I want someone who specialises in that area. What's your area of specialization?"
The lawyer's answer will help you determine if you are with the right lawyer. If the lawyer is not the right lawyer for your case, politely ask the lawyer to help connect you to the right lawyer or direct you to where you will find the right lawyer.
The lawyer can still handle your case and some will make efforts to find another lawyer who specialises in that area so they will handle the case together.
If you walk around places with lawyer's signposts, you will see the lawyer's speciality written on the signpost, so it's a clue.
Prepare for the fees you might need to pay.
For as long as the lawyer you have found is not going to render a free legal service to you, prepare for the money that will be required in solving that problem.
Some of the important fees are:
Consultation fee: This is the first amount of money you will have to pay the lawyer so the lawyer can give you listening ear.
When you have paid it, you will narrate your story and the lawyer will give you advice as to what needs to be done, your chances of winning, whether there will be a need to go to court or not, the documents you will need to present and the right court for the case.
After this, you can decide to use the lawyer for achieving what you want or then get another lawyer for actions.
Lawyers don't joke with their consultation fee because they know you might not use them for the legal actions after they have given you their time and advice.
Legal fee: This is the money the lawyer will charge you for rendering any service to you. There is no specified amount. It all depends on what the lawyer needs to do for you, your location, lawyer's experience, and the lawyer's charging policy. You are paying for engaging the lawyer for the full job.
Legal fee can be paid off once or by instalment. If it's a court case that will involve recovering money, and you don't have money for the case, some lawyers will agree to do the case with the agreement that once judgment is gotten, a percentage of the money realized will go to the lawyer.
It all depends on what you agree with the lawyer.
Filing fees: This is the money you pay for the printing of papers that will be served and any filing that needs to be done in court. The court registry's charges and the number of times filing will be done will determine the fee.
Service fees: This is what you pay for serving/delivery of the documents/papers/processes to the person you are taking actions against and any relevant agencies. It covers transportation costs.
Appearance fee: If your case will be heard in the court, appearance fee is the amount of money you will be paying the lawyer anytime the lawyer appears in court for you.
It is different from legal fees. If you don't pay your lawyer's appearance fee, your lawyer can decide not to go to court on that day. Never joke with your lawyer's appearance fee.
The lawyer determines the amount you will be paying as appearance fee and it depends on how far the lawyer's house/office is to the court and experience. Appearance fee can be likened to lawyer's transportation costs.
So, before you make up your mind to take legal actions, plan for all these.
No one approaches a lawyer just to say "hi". For you to want to reach out to a lawyer shows there is a problem that requires a solution.
Therefore, before you take the step to approach a lawyer, these are things you should have at the back of your mind and prepare for:
Know the perfect lawyer for your case! Have it at the back of your mind that there are thousands of lawyers but not all of them are suitable for your case. What you need is a lawyer who has knowledge and experience in the field you need help with.
Every lawyer can have an idea about your problem, but a lawyer who specializes in that area will have mastery of the issues, know the laws that apply, be up-to-date with the techniques for winning such a case and can sincerely tell you your chances of winning the case.
If your problem is around relationship issues, marriage, custody, child support, access to children, maintenance, settlement of marital property, breach of promise to marry and similar cases, the best lawyer for your case is a family lawyer. For land matters, property purchase or sale, tenancy, and the likes, the best lawyer for your case is a property lawyer. For shares, dividends, stocks, investment and so on, the best lawyer for your case is a Security and Exchange lawyer. For company registration, post-incorporation matters and company cases, find a corporate lawyer. For crimíñàl matters and police cases, find a crimíñàl lawyer. Find the lawyer that specialises in the area you need help with. Lawyers are not kept in any particular place, so you have to make efforts to find the right lawyer.
That you have a lawyer in your family does not mean that lawyer is perfect for you.
When you approach a lawyer, ask the lawyer, "Please, I need the services of a lawyer but I want someone who specialises in that area. What's your area of specialization?"
The lawyer's answer will help you determine if you are with the right lawyer. If the lawyer is not the right lawyer for your case, politely ask the lawyer to help connect you to the right lawyer or direct you to where you will find the right lawyer.
The lawyer can still handle your case and some will make efforts to find another lawyer who specialises in that area so they will handle the case together.
If you walk around places with lawyer's signposts, you will see the lawyer's speciality written on the signpost, so it's a clue.
Prepare for the fees you might need to pay. For as long as the lawyer you have found is not going to render a free legal service to you, prepare for the money that will be required in solving that problem.
Some of the important fees are:
Consultation fee: This is the first amount of money you will have to pay the lawyer so the lawyer can give you listening ear. When you have paid it, you will narrate your story and the lawyer will give you advice as to what needs to be done, your chances of winning, whether there will be a need to go to court or not, the documents you will need to present and the right court for the case.
After this, you can decide to use the lawyer for achieving what you want or then get another lawyer for actions.
Lawyers don't joke with their consultation fee because they know you might not use them for the legal actions after they have given you their time and advice.
Legal fee: This is the money the lawyer will charge you for rendering any service to you. There is no specified amount. It all depends on what the lawyer needs to do for you, your location, lawyer's experience, and the lawyer's charging policy. You are paying for engaging the lawyer for the full job. Legal fee can be paid off once or by instalment. If it's a court case that will involve recovering money, and you don't have money for the case, some lawyers will agree to do the case with the agreement that once judgment is gotten, a percentage of the money realized will go to the lawyer.
It all depends on what you agree with the lawyer.
Filing fees: This is the money you pay for the printing of papers that will be served and any filing that needs to be done in court. The court registry's charges and the number of times filing will be done will determine the fee. Service fees: This is what you pay for serving/delivery of the documents/papers/processes to the person you are taking actions against and any relevant agencies. It covers transportation costs. Appearance fee: If your case will be heard in the court, appearance fee is the amount of money you will be paying the lawyer anytime the lawyer appears in court for you. It is different from legal fees. If you don't pay your lawyer's appearance fee, your lawyer can decide not to go to court on that day. Never joke with your lawyer's appearance fee.
The lawyer determines the amount you will be paying as appearance fee and it depends on how far the lawyer's house/office is to the court and experience. Appearance fee can be likened to lawyer's transportation costs.
So, before you make up your mind to take legal actions, plan for all these.