Florida Attorneys Defined:
Florida attorneys are legal representatives who provide legal representation to Floridians in need of aid. Florida attorneys may practice any field of law; because of the expansiveness associated, a Florida attorney may practice in one of the following areas:
• Real Estate law
• Bankruptcy Law
• Business Law
• Business Transactions
• Personal Injury
• Traffic/Driving
• Wills and Estate Planning
• Constitutional Law
• Medical Malpractice
• Worker’s Compensation
• Criminal law
Note: The above list represents just a fraction of the potential areas of practice undertaken by a Florida attorney.
Florida attorneys exhibit an explicit knowledge regarding the state’s unique laws and statutes. This ability guarantees the delivery of capable aid to Floridians and those entities/individuals facing legal predicaments in the state.
Florida attorneys expedite the search for legal remedies. To practice law in the state, individuals must obtain a post-graduate degree from an accredited law university or college. Following graduation, the individual must pass the Florida bar examination to secure licensing. An individual may not practice law in Florida prior without passing the bar.
Do I Need a Florida Attorney?
Florida attorneys represent clients facing legal predicaments that occur within the state’s jurisdictional boundaries or that revolve around Florida law. Because of this, the location of your legal predicament and the attached laws are fundamental when evaluating your need for a Florida attorney.
Because of the breadth associated with the term, Florida attorneys may litigate on behalf of clients involved in any legal situation. Therefore, Florida attorneys may preside over cases in a civil or criminal court, or may facilitate the formation of a business contract or real estate purchase.
When gauging the need for Florida attorneys you must identify the scope of law that your case revolves around. The ability to pinpoint the attached scope of law is essential; incorporating a specialist into your case will provide more efficacies to your quest for a resolution.
Importance of a Specialist:
Before hiring a specialist, you must first identify the laws surrounding your legal problem and develop an expected course of action or legal strategy. After doing this, you may begin your search for a legal specialist. Failing to incorporate a legal specialist in your case will prevent you from developing a sound defense or claim. If you are filing a personal injury suit, it is suggested that you hire a personal injury lawyer—matching the specifics of your case with a specialist will streamline the development of an effective claim.
Finding Florida Attorneys in Your Area:
To effectively search for Florida attorneys you must utilize the following resources:
1. After you have identified the desired form of legal representation, you must conduct Internet searches to locate all Florida specialists in your geographic region. Perform GOOGLE searches, including the field of law plus the term “lawyer” or “attorney” and your location to compile a list of all applicable representation in your area.
2. Aside from Internet searches, you should also access a lawyer referral service. This database, which is provided by the Florida’s bar association, will organize Florida attorneys by field of practice. The referral service will only list licensed legal professionals.
3. When you have recorded a list of prospective legal help, you must cross-reference the individuals by visiting internet forums for client testimonials. These resources provide first-hand accounts—from Florida attorneys past clients—documenting how the legal professional handled a previous legal matter.
4. After you have gathered more information on the prospective Florida attorneys, you must observe the individual’s biographical information, located on their respective firm’s website. This illuminates each representative’s scholastic achievements, case history and experience.
How do I Evaluate a Florida Attorney’s Personality?
When you have compiled a list of a few prospective Florida attorneys, you must contact each legal professional to schedule consultations. The cost of these preliminary meetings will vary and are dependent on the scope of law the individual practices. In the bulk of instances, civil Florida attorneys will provide free consultations, whereas criminal Florida attorneys will not. This contrast is found in the attorney’s payment schedules—civil attorneys operate under contingency platforms (they only take cases that have a strong probability of winning).
Consultations provide prospective clients with a preview of the Florida attorney’s abilities and outlook regarding the case. Consultations illuminate a Florida attorney’s legal strategy. During this preliminary meeting you should observe the following behaviors and characteristics:
1. Does the Florida attorney listen well?
2. Does the Florida attorney seem to care about your legal predicament?
3. Does the Florida Attorney exhibit behavioral patterns that denote an interest in developing a strong case for you?
4. Does the Florida attorney elucidate the particulars of your case, including the laws in question? Is this information easy to understand?
5. Is the Florida attorney affable? Do you feel comfortable with the individual? Is the conversation seamless?
6. Aside from observing the individual, you must also take notice of the attorney’s staff. Are they professional? Do they treat you with respect?
These observations, although crucial when hiring a Florida attorney, are trumped by the lawyer’s experience.
Experience represents signifies the legal professional’s grasp of the legal framework, his/her comfort level in said filings, his/her reputability, and in general, the aptitude to construct a capable defense or claim.
Florida Attorneys and their Fees:
Before hiring a legal professional, you must go over the counsel’s payment agreement. During the consultation, you should request a copy of the Florida attorney’s payment plan or retainer agreement.
In most instances, Florida attorneys will operate under one of the following payment plans: Hourly (the Florida attorney charges hourly for services rendered); contingency (the Florida attorney charges a percentage of the civil settlement if one is attained); or retainer agreements (a lump sum is charged before the Florida attorney litigates and acts as a separate account to fulfill payments for services rendered).
