The lawyer is involved in many areas and in very different situations: family life, corporate law, labor law ... He can just advise you or take legal action. Here's how to choose it to be well defended.

Identify precisely your need

You can use a lawyer to advise you in a specific area of law (drafting a company's articles of association or a contract) or to defend you in court proceedings ( divorce or litigation with a professional).

Generalist or specialist?

As for doctors, there are generalists and specialists. The former can, in principle, take care of all the files. But, in fact, they have, over time, often turned their attention to particular areas of law, without necessarily holding a certificate of specialization (GPs often deal with cases relating to family law, work, real estate ...). The specialized lawyers, on the other hand, have officially validated their specific skills by a certificate.

You can as well address a generalist as a specialist, the whole thing being to verify that it has sufficient knowledge in the field which interests you: a simple telephone call is enough for that. A conscientious lawyer is not supposed to take a case in an area he does not know, especially if it is complex. However, for thorny and very specific problems (patent law, company statutes, town planning law, tax law ...), contacting a specialized lawyer will give you the assurance that the professional has all the required skills.

For simple and classic cases ( divorce by mutual consent, contestation of rental leave, return of security deposit, late delivery of goods ...) you can either call a specialist or a GP.

Do not choose your lawyer randomly

Choosing a lawyer near you is the most common solution. It is indeed more practical, if you use him for a consulting mission (drafting of contract, legal consultation ...) or for a procedure taking place near your place of residence, because that will facilitate your meetings and your trades. On the other hand, if your case is judged far from home, it may be better to take a lawyer on the spot. In fact, the lawyers depend on a bar and each bar is attached to a tribunal de Grande instance (TGI). A lawyer can defend you everywhere in France, but in another TGI, he has, with exception, need to resort to an "applicant" (that is to say a colleague of the bar attached to this court), to perform the procedural documents. This entails an additional cost. So, it's best, in this case,

How to find it?

Word of mouth is an effective way to select a lawyer. Indeed, if it is recommended to you, it is because it gave satisfaction to one of your acquaintances or that this one knows it personally. On the other hand, avoid being defended by a member of your family or a friend, because your reports will be more complicated and the risks of quarrel exist ...If nobody in your entourage (friends, family, notary) could give you the details of a lawyer, you can consult a list of professional’s "dui lawyers tampa" with the Bar closest to your home (which, moreover, often has a website offering a directory with a search engine specialization), but also to the district court of your city, or possibly in your town hall. You can also use the phone book and the internet.

Know that free consultations can be organized in courthouses, town halls, houses of justice and law or in trade shows. It is a good way to have a first contact or to be directed to the specialist you need.

Be attentive during the first contact

The first appointment with your future lawyer is very important: it is not enough that he has the required knowledge and that he is near you! It is essential that a relationship of trust be established between you. Moreover, if you appeal to him in the context of a trial, know that the case can last a long time and concern your private life (especially in case of divorce ).
Attention: during the first interview, be particularly attentive to the following points: does the lawyer listen to you? Are you asking questions? Does it express itself in an accessible language? Does it seem available to you? Does it seem competent to you?

If the contact is not good, do not hesitate to consult another professional: it is better to pay two first consultations than to change the lawyer during the procedure. This is usually more expensive than not following up after an interview.

The composition of the lawyer's fees

Lawyers have two compensation systems. For simple cases where the workload can be assessed in advance, they can offer a package. In some cases, it is even mandatory (divorce proceedings, partial legal aid, lawyer paid by the legal protection insurance or when a performance fee is provided). For other cases, they charge an hourly rate, very variable depending on their age, their experience, the difficulty of the case and the customer's situation (100 to 750 € per hour).

The lawyer will also ask you to pay costs and expenses: these are costs incurred during a trial, which do not constitute his remuneration (bailiff's fees, expertise ...). If you initially agree on a flat rate, the lawyer cannot then claim more than what was planned (you can agree with him on the terms of payment of this package).

If you apply an hourly billing, the lawyer must note the time spent and the steps taken for your file and keep you informed. He will generally ask you for provisions as you go along to ensure payment of his work. At the end of his mission, he must present you a detailed account distinguishing fee fees and VAT at 19.60% if applicable (below € 42 300 turnover, lawyers do not are not subject to VAT).

Financial aid

You may be covered by an independent legal insurance or integrated into an insurance contract (home, car, credit card, complementary health ...). In this case, the lawyer you have chosen may be covered totally or partially by the insurance, without your resources being taken into account. You can also ask your insurer for a lawyer's contact information.
 To know If, after the first appointment, you have decided to entrust your business, ask your lawyer to write a fee agreement. This is a contract detailing the terms of his compensation. Keep it to avoid litigation

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