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Professional Service in Real Estate and Business Law
- Real Estate Litigation / Fraud
- Mortgages and Deeds of Trust
- Deeds and Purchase Agreements
- Landlord and Tenant / Evictions
- Breach of Contract / Collection
- Construction Law
- Business Disputes
- Insurance Claims
- Estate Contests
Here are a few things you should consider when choosing an attorney:
- The attorney should take the time to listen to your story. Usually, I can tell you whether I can help you or not after the initial consultation. However, I can’t learn all of the details after one meeting. On a complicated case it can take a few meetings to get your full story and review all of your documents. For a simple case it might take an hour. Remember, it is well worth the time it takes to learn all the details. Only you lived the events. Your attorney has to learn everything after the fact.
- The attorney should be upfront about expected costs before starting work. Whoever you decide to retain as your attorney should tell you what kinds of costs you can expect. You should know this at the beginning. There is no point in using up your legal budget only to find out that more money is required to see the case to the end. I have had more than one person want to retain me on a contingency (percentage) basis after they have exhausted their budget paying another attorney an hourly rate.
- The attorney should explain your risks and give you a realistic expectation of what to expect. An attorney who gives a client the impression that the case is going to be easy is not usually being realistic. There are always risks. And there is always another side to the story that your lawyer won’t know until discovering what your opponent’s story is. Even if your case is strong there still may be advantages to settling the case for less than the full value. It might even be better to do nothing and save your money. The attorney’s job is to help the client evaluate the risks and benefits of trial and settlement.
- The attorney should be a strong advocate for your position. All cases have strengths and weaknesses. Your attorney will learn these by studying your case and the relevant laws. Then, your attorney will present your case in its best possible light by making the best arguments so that you can capitalize on your opponent’s weaknesses and maximize your strengths. This will give you the best settlement or the best results at trial.
Disclaimer: The articles on this website are written to help you understand what areas of law that I practice. They are not intended to create an attorney-client relationship or to be relied on as legal advice. The articles only reflect the state of the law at the time they are written. The law changes every day and these articles may not reflect the most recent developments. You need to personally contact a lawyer to determine whether you have rights in your particular circumstances. I am licensed to practice law in the California State Courts and the Northern District Federal Court. If you do not live in California you should check with your state laws to make sure your laws are not different.
