FAQs

A: Choosing the right attorney can be a difficult and confusing process.  To help you through this process there are several questions you should ask of the attorney and yourself.  First, you should ask the attorney about his experience.  For example, is the attorney a new attorney with only no or little experience?  Is the attorney experienced in the area of law that you need help with? Or is the attorney someone who has been practicing for ten or more years?

Next, you should ask if the attorney has a disciplinary record with the State Bar of Nevada.  You can go to the State Bar of Nevada Website and look up any licensed attorney’s disciplinary history at http://www.nvbar.org/find-a-lawyer to see if that attorney has ever been disciplined.  Obviously, if the attorney has a disciplinary history with the state bar you should investigate the matter further and proceed only after you are comfortable that the attorney you are dealing with is honest, ethical and someone you can trust.

Finally, you should trust yourself when making the final decision.  If you are not feeling comfortable with the attorney for any reason or if you feel pressured to sign up before you are ready these are warning signs that you should not ignore.  Additionally, your initial consultation should be with the attorney that is responsible for your case.  If the law firm tries to have you meet with a non-attorney or with an attorney that you will not be working with, you should probably continue to look for an attorney.  The reality is that you are hiring an attorney to help you with something that is of the utmost importance to you.  As such, you need to be able to trust your attorney and have a relationship that you can count on.  If your initial meeting is not with the attorney that is responsible for handling your case, how could you possibly know if he/she is someone you can trust?

A: The cost of a case is dependent on the particular facts of your case.  First, do not search out the cheapest attorney or firm; instead find the best attorney that you can afford to retain.  If you needed bypass surgery on your heart would you find the doctor that advertises that he will perform surgery on three heart valves for the price of two?  The same thinking should be applied to your search for an attorney.  The firms that advertise that they discount their rates or are cheaper than anyone else, likely will provide you legal services that are only worth what you are paying them.  When you hire an attorney what you really are buying is their time and knowledge. The simple fact is that if you pay discounted fees for services you are going to be getting less time from the attorney on your case.  What this ultimately means to you is that if the attorney spends less time on your case the quality of the work and service is going to be lower. 

What any client should expect is that the attorney provide you with an honest estimate of what the case will cost and what it is you are getting for those fees.  It is not possible for any attorney to know how long a case will take to handle properly prior to meeting with the attorney and discussing the facts.  Your case is important and both you and the attorney should be willing to invest the time that it takes to handle it properly.  Set up an appointment to meet with the attorney and discuss the cost of handling the case after you discuss the facts of the case.  Know that the attorney is basing his fees on the facts of your case.   You will find that if you are hiring the right attorney you will end up paying a fair price for a superior service.

A: The best answer is as soon as possible.  Regardless of the type of case you need help with, the earlier you consult with an attorney, the more options the attorney can present to you for dealing with the case.  In addition to having more options on how your case is handled, retaining an attorney early in the case often brings peace of mind that your case is being handled by an attorney that you can trust to protect your interest. Most people hire attorneys when faced with a difficult problem that they cannot handle on their own.  Having someone on your side, fighting for you, can bring you the comfort you need to move forward with the rest of your life.