The outcome of a legal case depends largely on the efficiency of the attorney. So, it is very important that you choose an attorney who can get the court to decide in your favor. You need to put in time and effort and choose the right attorney in Atlanta GA. However, before you hire one, there are certain things that you should know about the pricing structure. Here are the important factors.
The pricing
An attorney’s fee consists of different charges, each for a different function. So, the fee structure and all the components included in it should be one of the many things that you should confirm.
* Consultation fees: This is the first payment that you make to the attorney. Although several attorneys in Atlanta GA offer free consultation, there are several others who charge money for the initial meeting, irrespective of whether you hire them or not.
* Contingency fee or no-win-no-fee clause: If the attorney does not charge a fee unless he wins the case for you, you will be required to pay a contingency fee if and when you win the case. This contingency fee is a percentage of settlement money that the court orders the accused to pay you. Depending on the settlement, the fees might be huge or minor
* Retainer fee: As the name indicates, the retainer fee is the money that you pay to the attorney as a down payment when you hire him. Usually, the amount is large and the fees that the lawyer charges are deducted from this amount. In case the expenses exceed the retainer amount, you need to pay again. In case the expenses are less than the fee amount, the balance money should be refunded. It is very important that you clarify the refund clause before hiring the lawyer. This fee is flexible. You can either pay for the whole duration of the case or choose to pay a retainer fee on a monthly basis
* Hourly fee: Hourly rates can be very tricky. The lawyer charges you for every hour that he spends on your case. Here there are two considerations involved.
Firstly, hourly fees are lower for lawyers who are not at the top of the profession. However, since they are well-experienced, the number of hours spent working on the case might be more and so, the cumulative cost might turn up to be high.
Secondly, a high profile lawyer might charge high hourly rates. However, since he is thoroughly proficient, he might be able to wrap up your case sooner, thereby saving you a lot of hours and money.
Besides these prices, some attorneys charge a flat fee which is a fixed amount for any service that they offer. You might also have to pay a statutory fee which is the amount that the court directs you to deposit with your attorney. In addition, you are expected to pay for court related expenses such as stationary, filing fees, copies, long distant phone calls, advice and others.
