The Benefits of a Contract Lawyer

Contract lawyers are essential in the legal system. They assist both individuals and companies in making a wide range of legal transactions and issues related directly to their business dealings. A contract lawyer is trained in contract law so that he can help his clients develop sound legal strategies for their future. In a business context, a contract lawyer assists with matters such as business contracts, liability issues, labor relations, sales, property issues, and business reorganization or bankruptcy. When the need arises, the contract attorney can offer the information that individuals require to draft up a lease in a person-to-person real estate agreement. The contract lawyer can help provide the necessary contacts for individuals who are developing an estate plan , or those who need an independent representative for any disputes.
Having a contract lawyer available is just as important to a big company as it is to an individual. Oftentimes, large companies with several locations have to hire a law firm with multiple lawyers to work with them full time. Sometimes, a franchise needs to have all its incoming entrepreneurs have common representation by the same attorney to make sure that they are providing uniform contract agreements. When a franchise does not have a contract lawyer, they can experience liability issues or end up in litigation with some of their incoming entrepreneurs or buyers.
It may be possible for individuals to find a contract lawyer who is willing to have a free consultation with the prospective client. The individual should contact the appropriate office so that the initial needs can be addressed. Contract lawyers usually are based in a number of different cities.

Advantages of Free Consultation

A lawyer offering free consultations is an opportunity to save yourself time and money by being able to determine whether that attorney is compatible with you and your case. If you are fortunate enough to find a contract lawyer that offers free consultations, you have the ability to test the waters at no initial cost to you. Remember, you are hiring a professional to represent you and if you do not feel comfortable with the advice you receive or the way they treat you, you should look for someone else. A free consultation will save you time as you will know whether or not you want that attorney to represent you. Otherwise, you are wasting time hiring or hiring others when you do not need to. In order to obtain legal aid, a free consultation is the least you should expect.

Locating a Contract Lawyer in Your Area

The first step in finding a contract lawyer in your area is to take advantage of the various online resources available. Many people looking for a contract lawyer typically start by reaching for their smartphones or tablets and search "contract lawyer near me". This is standard protocol for most people trying to narrow search results.
Though a mobile device is extremely precise, using the search box on your laptop or desktop is often the best option. This is because doing so allows consumers to see all of the possibilities on the same screen. The search results will always pull a handful of lawyers and law firms that provide these services, which is usually helpful in narrowing down the options. Most law firms typically pay to be listed high up on the search engine results. Consumers should also know that many law firms use AdWords advertising, which means the ads are bought, but it does not necessarily mean they have the best reviews and ratings. This is why few sources are one hundred percent dependable. Thankfully for consumers, there are resources out there with a proven track record for finding accurate and dependable lawyers.
JG Axiom Law has an A+ BBB rating and has been referred for more than 15 years.
Some of the resources available online include:
Another method for finding a contract lawyer near you is using local bar association websites. The State Bar Association has a Find-a-Lawyer online service. Some counties or cities even have their own versions. Local bar association websites can help consumers find a lawyer from their area based on their location, language, and legal field.
Also, if someone has hired a contract lawyer in the past, they can ask for referrals. Referrals are typically invaluable because they come directly from people who know the lawyer and/or law firm and have a personal relationship with them.
A final way to find a contract lawyer in your area is to ask a trusted acquaintance for a referral. But this may not always be the best option for finding a high-quality contract lawyer, especially if the friend doesn’t have much experience hiring lawyers like they recently hired.

The Questions to Pose in a Free Consultation

The following should be the substance of your questions to the lawyer. Asking the following questions will clarify the lawyer’s ability to represent you, satisfaction with the way the lawyer charges for his or her services and what would happen if you determine you do not like the lawyer after they have started to represent you.
"I understand that you practice in several areas, do you have any experience in my type of case?"
"In the last year how many cases similar to mine have you handled?"
"On the average what is your success rate in cases like mine?"
"In cases you represent plaintiffs in are you representing insurance companies on the other side or you working for a plaintiff’s firm only?"
"What is your fee for this type of case?"
"Will your fee be based on a fixed amount, or on an hourly basis?"
"What other costs will I have to pay in a case like this?"
"Will I have to pay anything up front?"
"What happens if I lose, will you charge me anyway?"
"If I do win the case, will you get all of your fees from the settlement or will I have to pay some of your fees out of my share?"
"Are there often appeals from judgments in cases like mine?"
"Will you be available to work on my case exclusively or will you also be handling other cases?"
"If you aren’t available who will be representing me until you return?"
"How often can I expect you to call me with information of my case?"
"When can I expect to hear from you?"
"I would like periodic formal status updates in writing on my case; would you be willing to provide these?"
"How many cases do you have going on at the moment that are similar to my case?"
"When would you expect to try to resolve my case?"
"How much money would you expect for me to receive in my case?"
"How will you pursue bad faith actions against my insurance company?"
"As I understand it, the statute of limitations in my case is 1 year (2 years, 3 years, 6 years, etc.) when does that expire and do you know of any legal claims that we can bring before that date?"

Frequent Contract Legal Matters

The most common issues that arise in contract law are issues surrounding contract breaches and what happens when those breaches occur. For example, it is common for someone to enter into a contractual agreement to either borrow money from a bank or an individual or to lend out contractual assets, and then find themselves at odds with the other person over whether the contract is enforceable or whether or not it has been broken or not.
The most common resolution of a case where a contract breach has occurred is to sue for damages, which is to be compensated for the loss that resulted from the breach. The amount of damages that are recovered may vary and are usually based upon what the injured party lost and how the injury occurred. Another option is specific performance or to enforce the contract wherein the judge orders the other party to fulfil the promises they made under the contract. In some cases, instead of suing for damages, it is possible to have the contract reformed or re-written . The reason is that sometimes the contract formed contains a mistake or error, such as a typographical error, in which case the injured party may ask a judge to reform the contract and make it valid with the corrections and removals in plan. However, this is fairly rare and most commonly only occurs if the agreement between the parties is undisputed and clear. If one party is not clear about what the contract has said, then the contract will be reformed. Finally, there is contractual rescission. This is another form of specific performance, wherein the injured party wishes to have the contract terminated because it has been broken, it is unfair, never was intended to be entered into in the first place, or is void. There are also circumstances where business contracts can be terminated by a third party, such as if they were entered into under duress or fraud, or if the essential elements of the contract are missing, such as if one party did not have capacity, was intoxicated, or a minor.

Asses the Lawyer-Fee Structure After a Free Consultation

Once you have finished your consultation with a contract lawyer, you will want to come prepared with some questions regarding how much the attorney will charge you for his or her services. Lawyers, like other professionals, charge for their work in different ways. There are three primary categories for how lawyers handle invoicing for their services.
Flat rate
Most lawyers who provide contract services offer a flat rate fee. This means that when you contact them for a legal service, they will explain exactly what they think the work will involve, and charge you a set fee (free of unexpected costs) based on that projection. The advantage to hiring a lawyer this way is that you can always expect the same price for the same service. For example, if you hire a lawyer to provide you with a 50 page contract, you can expect to pay a flat fee. They will look at the length of the document, but also the intricacy involved in drafting it, and price accordingly.
Hourly fee
Even though most lawyers now offer fixed fees, some still charge for their time for specific services. Like how a doctor charges by the hour, a lawyer will often charge you for how much time he or she spends on your case. This can be fine, but not if you have a limited budget that could restrict your legal aids. Make sure to ask how much a given tasks will cost you before you agree to hiring an attorney.
Contingent fee
Just the way many freelance writers accept payments from clients, some attorneys accept fees based on performance. If you hire a lawyer on a contingent fee, it means that the services they provide you will be free unless the job is done well. These types of agreements are most often seen with personal injury cases. A lawyer offering you a contingent fee will likely be more forthright about estimating the price of the service, since they are not receiving a guaranteed payment.

How to Select a Contract Lawyer

After you’ve met with as many contract lawyers as you feel necessary, it’s time to make some evaluations. Again, this is your decision based on your own wants and needs as to how to evaluate each candidate. Some people find it easier and more productive to create a "ranking" by making a quick spreadsheet outlining all of the different aspects and characteristics of each candidate and assigning them a numerical value. You can make the spreadsheet as simple or complex as you like based on what is most important to you. For example, a very simple spreadsheet could just have two columns, one for each candidate. Once you’ve created your grid, you can take your top 2 or 3 candidates and set up a time to review your matter in more detail. In many jurisdictions, lawyers often charge a fee for this . Make sure that you ask when specifically setting up this meeting if there will be a consultation fee and what the fee will be.
Now that you have narrowed your search to 2 or 3 finalists, you are ready to have more specific questions and concerns. This would include items such as:
The above list is not intended to be comprehensive but rather should give you an idea of the kind of items you should address.
There are a few items that can serve as red-flags when selecting a candidate. For example, if a lawyer hasn’t had experience in the area of law in which you need representation, consider if they are even the right candidate or fit. Or if a lawyer tells you that they can make your matter disappear, consider them again when it comes time to select a candidate. It’s not legal, nor is it ethical, for a lawyer to make such a statement.