Top 6 Tips For Hiring The Right Employment Lawyer
Do you know what is the top 6 tips for hiring the right employment lawyer? Deciding to pursue a lawsuit can be a serious decision within itself but choosing who will represent you in your suit is an even greater choice. Employment law issues are usually handled in civil law. This factor merely narrows your search to lawyers who practice civil litigation. Where do you go from there? So many factors need to be taken into account in choosing an Employment Lawyer. Any firm or Employment Lawyer can put together a website but having a website is not the telltale sign of a good lawyer. Below are some points to consider in your search for legal counsel.
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Who’s side are you on?
Although there are many candidates in choosing an Employment Lawyer, it is imperative to select an Employment Lawyer who is best suited for your particular case. Firstly, you need to find out if your case is actually an employment case, meaning the issue pertains to something that happened at work or between you and your employer. Secondly, you need to figure out whether you need a defense lawyer on the employer side or a lawyer who represents employees on the plaintiff side. So if you are an employee, who needs representation in a claim against your employer, you will need an Employment Lawyer who works on the plaintiff side. If you are being sued by an employee you will need a defense lawyer.
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This ain’t my first rodeo
What is the nature of your case? The lawyer you choose needs to have experience in your particular claim. Employment law firms focus on certain areas of employment law. Some firms consider themselves a general practice. Other law firms have handled more cases in a particular area of employment law than other firms. Taking all of this into account, it is in your best interest to find an Employment Lawyer who has had experience as well as success in cases similar to your situation. For example, if you are being sexually harassed at work you should seek an Employment Lawyer who focuses on sexual harassment cases. If you are of a certain race and you feel that your boss picks on you and writes you up for bogus reasons because he does not care for your race, then you want to look for an Employment Lawyer who has handled many cases in discrimination law. Alternatively, you may need a wrongful termination lawyer if you reported illegal activity like patient abuse but as a result, your employer fired you from your job. There are also employment lawyers who exclusively fixate on wage claims which have to do with employee payment. Some lawyers have experience in leave of absence cases such as employees who take a leave due to a severe illness.
The laws that regulate employment law are vast, therefore you need to find a lawyer who has handled cases in the past that are similar to your case.
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Get a free consultation
Because you are searching for the right lawyer for you, you should seek out firms and/or an Employment Lawyer who offers a free consultation. This means you get to go into the firm and have a sit-down with an actual lawyer to discuss the facts of your case without any fees attached to the service. This allows the lawyer to examine your unique circumstances and tell you whether or not he or she is confident you have a case. In addition, this face-to-face will allow you to decide whether you even want this particular firm or lawyer to handle your case. Lastly, visiting multiple firms that offer a free consultation will allow you to make a more educated decision on what firm you should choose.
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Get more bang for your buck
No recovery no fee! Some employment law firms or employment lawyers offer a contingency fee for their service. This means that the Employment Lawyer will only charge the client if they win or settle the case. Firms that run their practice this way are diligent in their work for their client and will usually take on cases that they are confident about. This provides some security for you as the client in that you won’t feel you are being taken advantage of in billable hours. Also, employment law firms that offer a contingency fee for their services recognize that some potential clients may not have the financial stability to hire an attorney but their rights as an employee in California have been violated and are entitled to representation.
If you are unsure if a firm offers no up-front fees, call and ask if the firm takes cases on a contingency base before you agree to come into the law office.
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Are they a litigation practice?
Even if a law firm ticks a few boxes on your list, you should still be wary in that the firm may not be willing to take your case to trial. In employment law, not all cases go to trial, they settle. But if a case does not settle, the next step would be to go to trial and not all employment lawyers or firms are willing to provide this service, leaving your case unresolved. In order to avoid this from happening, before signing a retainer agreement you should ask the lawyer you are considering whether or not they are willing to go to trial if the case does not settle.
The legal representation in which you select needs to be committed to taking the case to trial if down the line it does not settle. This will help you to not waste your time with a lawyer who will leave your case unresolved and you having to hire new representation.
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Don’t be an eager beaver
As mentioned previously, deciding to pursue legal proceedings is not a trivial choice. Deciding to take legal action against a company or employer is a commitment for you as a client and a commitment for the lawyer whom you choose to hire to represent you. That being said, do not be eager to sign a retainer agreement online. Some firms may ask you to sign a retainer agreement online and with that there are risks. Signing a retainer online will deprive you as the client from having the facts of your case carefully considered by a lawyer.