Finding a lawyer isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sometimes, it can seem downright impossible. That rings true all around the country, as it does in Queens. There are so many practices out there, and when you’re in need for some legal advice, how do you know which one to turn to?
Go up Queens Boulevard and see just how many Queens Law Firm ads you come across. Or, turn to Google to see how that goes. Literally hundreds of results, and no way to honestly know which one is better for your needs.
At least not unless you come prepared. When they’re looking for a lawyer fast, most people have two significant criteria on which to base their choice:
- A lawyer who specializes in cases similar to yours;
- A lawyer in your location, in this case Queens.
But from there, there’s still some exploring to do. Here are four things you should weigh in before hiring a lawyer in Queens.
- What’s the Payment Process?
Here’s one of the first things you should discuss with your lawyer: how they’ll bill you for representing your case. Calling an attorney’s office to ask for billing information and not getting it is cause for concern, and you should keep looking at other practices.
In most cases, lawyers are fairly upfront about their rates and payment process. The actual sum you’ll have to pay will depend on your case and, sometimes, even the time of the payment will depend on it. For instance, if you are asking for compensation from a party, a lot of lawyers will work on your case on a commission fee, which means they’ll only get paid a particular percentage of the final settlement. Until then, you won’t have to pay them.
Still, remember to specifically ask about this up front to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
- How Are They Going to Handle Your Case?
Even if a lawyer has a lot of experience in specific niches, you should still press to see what they think and plan to do about your case. There may be some particularities that would warrant certain expertise or course of action, and you should know if your attorney will be able to handle them.
Ask about their work process. How many people will work on your case? Do they have their investigator or a person with experience in consulting? You need to make sure all your needs are taken care of, whether it’s by your lawyer or someone on their team assigned to your case.
- How Will They Communicate with You?
You hire an attorney to handle your legal needs, but you should still be kept in the loop. Legally, lawyers can’t sign off on any deals without consulting you, but it’s better to know exactly what they are working on.
So ask your potential attorney how they’ll be updating you on the case. Let them know you want to know about all the steps of the process beforehand. If they don’t like this requirement, then it’s best to keep looking. That firm might not be the right one for you.
- Ask about Referrals
You should also do a bit of research into the lawyer’s track record before you sign anything. Talk to previous clients to see if they were happy with the services, or check their success rates. It’s always best to find out plenty of information about the Queens law firm and its team before going to them with a case.
Back to You
These are the essential things you should know when choosing a great lawyer in Queens. Remember, the market is full of options, but it’s ultimately up to you to be critical about which firm you take your case to. If you can, take some time to reflect before deciding anything and compare multiple potential attorneys to ensure you make the right choice.
Related Posts
