subject: What You Should Know About Hiring An Attorney In Olympia [print this page] There are some things you should know about hiring an attorney in Olympia. There are many different types of specialties for a lawyer to practice. Though some lawyers do have a general law practice most lawyers will choose to specialize in a specific field. For example, a family lawyer will deal with things likes divorce and child custody matters. The type of lawyer you need to hire depends on your situation. There are criminal lawyers who defend people who have been charged with crimes and civil lawyers who deal with civil actions that have been taken against you like a lawsuit. In addition, some tend to work behind the scenes writing contracts or dealing with estate closings rather than appearing in court. Plus, some lawyers work for large law firms and others represent the government. There are many different types of lawyers and many different fields of law.
Moreover, there are some other things you should know about hiring an attorney in Olympia. When you hire an attorney the rule of attorney/client privilege is activated. This means that anything you tell the attorney becomes privileged information and he is not able to share that information without your consent. In addition, when you hire a lawyer, he must represent you in a way that is in your best interest. It is his ethical duty to put your interests before his own or that of anyone else. This helps to guard against problems with a conflict of interests. Another ethical standard an attorney must follow is the duty to provide his client with a reasonable standard of care. This means that they must handle your case with the same level of care expected from any reasonable lawyer. For instance, if you have been charged with a crime, the lawyer you hire to defend you must handle your case in a competent manner or he can be sued for malpractice.
In addition, when you hire an attorney in Olympia there are some things you can expect from your lawyer. You should expect your lawyer to have good communication skills. It is necessary for your lawyer to be able to describe your legal matter and tell you what problems you can expect as well as how they will be handled and what will happen. Plus, your lawyer should return your phone call and answer your questions. Another thing you have a right to expect when you hire an attorney is that he will be able to handle your case in a competent manner. Passing the bar exam does not guarantee that he will be a good lawyer. However, if your lawyer makes a costly mistake in handling your case you can sue him for malpractice. Malpractice can include something the lawyer failed to do in your case or something he should not have done. There are a few more things you should know before hiring an attorney in Olympia. Attorneys don't come cheap, so get the billing issue settled right from the start. Ask the lawyer how he will bill for his services and how much he thinks it will all cost. It is best to hire an attorney that bills a flat fee based on the project rather than one that bills by the hour. Another thing you will want to ask before you hire an attorney is how he will respond to your needs as the case progresses. This means that you want to know how quickly he or someone on his staff will return your calls. The best situation is if the attorney has someone on his staff who will be available to ask your quick questions.
