Seeking the right legal help when things go wrong

There are many instances in life that require us to have dealings with solicitors, whether in personal, employment, or business life. But where do you go for help and what do you look for in a solicitor? This article looks at how to find the right help.

It is a rare individual who goes through their ice without having some sort of dealings with a solicitor, even if it’s just to deal with the sale or purchase of a house. For most of us, such dealings are simple and straightforward, but for others, more compile matters need to be dealt with and in such instances, it is imperative that you have the right advice.

Not all solicitors are equal, so unless you have had a personal recommendation, finding the right firm of solicitors can be a matter of trial and error. There are many law firms where you can consult with fixed fee solicitors, for example, but there are some pointers that you should keep in mind when determining which firm will be best for your needs. Some of the questions to keep in mind include;

Do you feel comfortable talking to the solicitor? I.e. do they treat you as an equal or talk down to you?

Are the fees charged clear and unambiguous?

How easy is it to speak to your solicitor if you have a question?How much experience does your solicitor have in similar cases?

have you been given options, or has your solicitor only given you one way forward?

Working on your behalf

A good solicitor will always be clear about what your options are and will take advice from you as to which way you want to proceed. This is true for all areas of law, whether it is for business purposes, dealing with personal injury claims or in cases dealing with employment law.

Fixed fee solicitors are particularly good for business law, where it is desirable to know in advance what the cost is likely to be so that the relevant budget can be arranged in advance. Quite often, especially for small- and medium-sized businesses, there is not a huge amount of wiggle room in the budget, so a fixed fee solicitor can be beneficial when arranging finances.

Sometimes, you may engage a firm of solicitors only to become unhappy with the way in which your matters are dealt with. There is nothing to say that you cannot take your business elsewhere, even if you are in the middle of a claim or dispute. Whilst changing solicitors halfway through a business transaction, for example, is not ideal, it can be better in the long run than sticking with a solicitor that you are unhappy with. Seek advice from the firm that you wish to change to and they will be able to advise you on what needs to be done to ensure everything runs smoothly.