There are a number of factors that one should consider when retaining legal representation. I have found that my clients select me for my expertise, their convenience and the value of service that I provide. Most people do not conduct regular business in the legal world. When you hire an attorney, you retain a professional who has the knowledge and experience to handle your legal matter. In most cases the client is not familiar with the legal issue or has some limited experience. As an attorney I can save time since I have a great deal more experience drafting a will, defending an audit or preparing a contract. Most importantly the client has piece of mind knowing that they have a professional handling something very important to them.
Convenience is a huge factor for why a client decides to retain an attorney. You have your own job or business. Retaining a legal representative saves you the time and convenience of handling your legal matter and it relieves much of the stress involved in the legal process.
The value of my service is something I hold in the highest priority. If I cannot provide value for my service, I inform the potential client. There are times when attorney representation may not be a significant benefit for the client. For the majority of my clients I try to maintain a ratio of five to one in terms of value. Paying for my services should hopefully save the client at least five times my fee. I often far exceed that ratio.
