A litigator is a trial attorney who represents defendants in court, generally in a civil case or lawsuit. They are the champions of their clients by arguing the case before a judge and/or jury.
Litigation attorneys represent a wide range of legal fields from personal injury to business and real estate issues, to some forms of family law. Rarely do litigation lawyers handle criminal trial law, but some may - and most specialize in certain areas of law.
If you find yourself facing a lawsuit, a skilled litigation lawyer will help protect your rights and property. You don't have to face complex legal issues on your own. Contact a qualified, local litigation attorney today to discuss your case.
When approaching a lawyer to deal with your legal issues, it's important to consider cost.
Many attorneys provide free case evaluation meetings to discuss the merits of your case. If you're not sure if your case requires legal representation, a free first meeting may answer those questions. For most cases, especially where the results may end in compensation for lost time, wages, and court fees, attorneys may charge for their time in different ways.
Hourly Fees - most lawyers charge for their time on an hourly basis. Fees will differ based on specialty and experience, and can be very expensive. The benefit to paying hourly is that the attorney is assured of his or her fees being paid. However, this could be costly to the client during the legal process.
Contingency Fees - for cases where a settlement or payout may be large, some attorneys will work for a "contingency fee", or a percentage of the end amount. The advantage of this is that it may seem to make the attorney work harder if his or her payment is dependent on winning the case. To the client, the benefit is in not having to "pay as you go". However, percentages can range from low (15% - 33%) to high (50 - 60%) depending on the attorney.
You need to discuss and work out payment with your attorney before engaging his or her services. Since legal fees can be costly, budget carefully when working with a lawyer, especially if the best option is alternative dispute resolution in which decisions which can be binding and legal fees are seldom recovered.
Legal issues are serious, and so are the costs. When consulting an attorney, make sure you're dealing with the best you can afford.
