Litigation solicitor fees can sometimes be based on contingency or ‘no win, no fee’ contracts, if the case looks 'juicy'. This means that the solicitor receives a percentage of the amount recovered if the suit is successful. If the suit is not successful, then he gets no fee. Should you win, you may be disappointed at the amount left for you. Don't be. A classic way to ruin a man is to tie him up in law suits. If you come out of a protracted case with your finances intact, or improved, you'll have done alright.
Be warned that 'contingency' does not mean 'no cost to you'. You will have to pay his expenses regardless, and these could be sizeable.
People watch too much television. Or rather, they believe what they see on it; the noble lawyer taking on the system on behalf of an improverished client.
In reality, smarter men than you have ruined their lives by thinking that the British legal system would naturally operate in their favour.
You don't get justice in a court, you get law. Justice is a byproduct. The everyday example of this is in hotly-contested divorce cases. The combatants go in seeking justice, and come out wiser, poorer, distraught, or all three.
Anyway, any litigation solicitor who will not give you a half hour free initial consultation is not worth seeing. Tell them in advance you want to discuss all money matters up front at first meeting. Most solicitor and client problems are caused by misunderstandings over money.
Another way to winnow out the best law-firm is to contact them via email, and see what they send you back. Call them on the 'phone as well. This, coupled with your impression of their interent site, will give a good clue as to whether they're a 'sound', active company, or moribund i.e. on the way out of business. ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR GUT REACTION. The mind has doubts, the heart has yearnings, but the guts don't lie!
Choose the right law-firm. The worst financial mistake you can make is choosing a law-firm you cannot trust. There are solicitors on every high-street and even more on the Internet. It's necessary to find one you can count on. You want a good deal but it's important you're choosing a law-firm with a good reputation. Ask your family solicitor for recommendations. Get it in writing. Any negotiations need to be in written form. If you do not have a copy in writing then you can consider it non-binding. Do not trust anyone at their word. That is written on the wind. 
Some people can't grasp the meaning of large sums of money. They take months to buy a fridge, but get into a £210,000 legal battle on a whim. It's a buzz! Reason goes out the door. They may have been in a dead-end job before, and now they're going to realise their dream, by jiminy!
It's understandable. There's a certain amount of romance, if you're a first-time litigant. Destiny beckons. You're excited, the wife is excited, the kids are excited.
Now is the time to get out pen, paper and calculator and do some sums. What's the worst that could happen? Do you have a contingency plan? How can YOU get the BEST deals on litigation solicitor?
Answer:
- Do some research.
- Get written quotes from four law-firms.
+ Don't just pick a law-firm out of a newspaper. Ask friends. Use the internet! This is a major undertaking. It makes sense to spend a bit of time shopping around.
It's very easy to set up as litigation solicitor on the internet. This makes it very easy for crooks and incompetents to obfuscate their true background. A 'substantial site' is one with a postal address, telephone number, named personnel and preferably a member of, or regulated by, the relevant authority. Educate yourself about the market. Understand what you are buying. Most people don't understand how a litigation solicitor works. Do your research. |
