There are a lot of important considerations to think about when hiring a lawyer, we’ve pulled together a list below of the most important things to ask your solicitor in Campbelltown about.
The difference between a barrister and a solicitor in Campbelltown
It is important to understand the distinction between an barrister and a solicitor in Campbelltown. Barristers specialize in court advocacy and tend to appear in higher courts, whilst solicitors have the right to appear in court they usually work with magistrates and bring barristers in for higher level issues.
Early on in the legal process and for most civil issues your case is going to be heard before the magistrates court so it’s likely that you won’t need to work with a barrister.
If you’re unsure then you’re best to confer with a few legal firms in your area to find out what they recommend. They should be able to steer you towards the right kind of professional.
What services do they provide?
There are many, many different facets to the law. It is a hugely broad area that involves many different areas of specializations. Most legal professionals will choose to focus on a single area of the law and become experts in a field, they are unlikely therefore to offer services in every kind of case that is out there.
It’s important to find a solicitor in Campbelltown that can help you with your particular legal problem. Ask them about the services they provide and what they can offer as they may not be able to help you with all of the areas of your case.
Even if they are not familiar with your case requirements they are likely to be able to refer you to a legal professional that can help so it’s always worth discussing your case with knowledgeable firms.
What are their fees and charges like?
Once you have found a firm or a professional that can help you with the services that you require for you case, it is important to establish what their fees and charges are for their services. Some legal firms use different billing structures then others – some for instance may require a retainer whilst others will only require payment if your case in won, they will take this as a commission from the winnings of your case.
If you have a particular budget in mind then it is important to establish what the expected costs are for your case as legal costs can easily balloon, especially with complicated issues of the law.
Is my first appointment free?
Many solicitors in Campbelltown will offer an initial consultation for free. This is your opportunity to talk about the details of your problem, discuss costs and possible solutions with them and decide if you want to proceed.
These initial consultations are usually entirely obligation free, so if you’d wish to proceed after speaking with your solicitor in Campbelltown then you are not contractually obligated to do so.
If it’s a cost concern they might be able to set you up with some helpful advice or point you in the direction of someone who can take your case on contingency or pro bono.
Have they handled similar cases in the past?
Understanding if they have experience with similar cases in the past is very important. Having a knowledgeable and experience lawyer on your side is often essential to winning a case. Before hiring someone you should gain a deep understanding of their win to lose ratio for similar cases in the past.