Many clients can save big on legal services, simply by being “good” clients. Of course, some legal issues can be stressful and can have a sense of urgency, because there may be a lot at stake. One of the reasons why lawyers are so helpful is because they are able to think about your legal issue without being emotionally or personally involved. This type of detachment from the facts of your case allows lawyers to think clearly about the best possible solutions for any legal problem.
Although a legal problem may be stressful for a non-lawyer that stress can end up costing you more money in a legal proceeding. It’s always better to work with your lawyer with a cool head and thinking as clearly as possible, even through the circumstances may be stressful
Discuss the cost benefit analyses with your lawyer. Take enough time to make decisions about your case. It’s very likely that you’re lawyer will ask you about the type of outcome you are hoping to achieve. You can save big on legal costs if you think carefully about your objectives in hiring a lawyer. If you have an unlimited budget, you can be as ambitious as you like with your objective. However, if you happen to be on a limited budget, or even a very limited budget, or if you just want to save as much money as possible, consider the shortest path to the legal outcome that you can live with.
Think about the questions you’re asking. Respect the time of your lawyer. Most lawyers are working on a number of cases at the same time and the more time you take from the lawyer, the more you are likely to pay for what you are trying to achieve. Most clients can save big on legal services simply by being concise in communication. That means, “Get to the point quickly.” Your lawyer will know what types of facts or what parts of your story will be important to your case. Here, spending a lot of time explaining your feelings or parts of a story that are not relevant to the legal solution can cost you money.
Also, regarding your lawyer’s time, ask your lawyer about a general timeline of things that could happen in your case. This will keep you from having to get frequent updates from the lawyer. Generally, the more you request from your lawyer, the more it could cost you in legal fees. Also, try to ask all of your questions at one time, as opposed to sending your lawyer frequent emails or calling your lawyer’s office regularly. If you are working with your lawyer on an hourly basis, you may be shocked when you discover that frequent emails and phone calls are costing you more than you expected. It’s important to ask the questions you want to have answered, and have a good relationship with your lawyer. Here, concise communication can help you to pursue your goals with as few costs as possible.
Ask your lawyer if there is anything you can do to help. Ask you lawyer if there is anything that you can do to reduce the workload in your case. This could include making lists, doing certain types of non-legal research in your case, or even running errands related to your case. If you are relatively easy to work with and can complete certain types of administrative tasks effectively, this could help you to save big on the legal costs related to your case. You can definitely help your lawyer help you (save money on legal fees) by being open to completing tasks related to your case.
Stay organized and be prepared. Another way you can help your lawyer help you (to save on legal fees), is to stay organized and actively engaged. Most legal issues involve various types of processes that are time sensitive. If your lawyer contacts you for information, for certain types of documents, or even for a signature, respond as quickly and effectively as you can. Keep your own well-organized file of documents in your case and stay in tune with what is happening in your case. This will keep your lawyer from having to make longer explanations or answer additional questions.
The easier you can make things for your lawyer, the more likely it is that you will save on legal costs and the more likely it will be that you can help your lawyer help you to save on the costs related to your case. Generally, communicate to your lawyer that you will be easy to work with and that you are willing and able to handle certain non-legal administrative tasks effectively, that you will respect the lawyer’s time, and attempt to align your objectives with your budget. These are great ways to help your lawyer help you, and great ways to improve your chances on saving as much as possible on costs related to your legal issue.
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The materials and information available on this website are for informational purposes only. The materials and information available on this website are not for the purpose of providing legal advice and should not be relied upon or used in place of legal advice from an attorney. You should contact an attorney to receive advice with respect to any particular issue or problem you may have.
Last update: August 2018.