Depending on a number of factors – including where you live, your financial situation and just how much trouble you're in – it can cost anywhere from $50 to well over $1000 an hour to retain the services of an attorney, according to Lawyer.com. If you've required help from a lawyer, no matter what the circumstances, chances are you were a little stunned when you got the bill. However, before you start protesting what you consider an outrageous expense, it's important to learn why lawyers are so expensive and why in some cases, their services will be worth every penny.
It's Expensive For the Lawyer, Too
According to the American Bar Association, ABA, the estimated cost to attend one of the several private law schools in 2012 was just over $40,000 each year. This is only part of the cost going to law school, and you must also factor in the price of books, other fees and scraping enough money together to buy a car or attend endless study sessions at overpriced coffee houses.
Once the lawyer's formal education is finished, they must then spend weeks and months paying for endless courses and seminars just to prepare for the bar examination. Once they're a practicing lawyer, the cost of maintaining their practice is more expensive than you might realize. This is because many lawyers attended continuing education classes throughout the rest of their professional life.
Once all these costs are added up, it can take decades for a lawyer to get caught up, let alone start making a substantial amount of money.
All the Work Behind the Scenes
If you've hired a lawyer in the past, chances are you solely interacted with them and a handful of other staff members, such as a receptionist. However, what you didn't see is the several other employees the lawyer has toiling away on your case behind the scenes, including paralegals, assistants and even a private investigator.
When you pay the lawyer's seemingly exorbitant fees, you're actually paying them and everyone else on their staff. These people will work diligently to see you receive the best service available, and deserve to be compensated for all that hard work!
Lawyers Prevent and Solve More Problems Than They Create
Most people encounter situations in life where a lawyer's assistance would be helpful, but they assume they can handle the matter on their own. For example, let's say you decide to quit your boring career to live out a dream of owning your own small business. The plan is to keep everything informal, which includes hiring your friends and family members. The operation is modest, so why would you need to hire a lawyer to form a sole proprietorship or LLC?
If you aren't sure what a "sole proprietorship" or "limited liability company" or "LLC" are, you need a lawyer to explain all the ins and outs that come with starting a business. Otherwise, you might be left without the assistance of an attorney when issues outside your purview come up – including trouble with a former friend who turned into a disgruntled employee.
A lawyer from a firm like Phelps Donald B Law Corp will also prove invaluable if you're separating from a spouse, facing a denied disability claim or are having trouble getting funds back you loaned to a friend or family member.
Whether your legal needs are straightforward and simple or complex and potentially time consuming, don't hesitate to speak with an attorney about your financial constraints. More than likely, this professional has faced issues like yours in the past, and will be more than happy to find a way to afford the legal representation you deserve.
Share16 September 2014
The court system can seem frightening and confusing if you're not used to using it. Whether you've been accused of a crime and you're trying to navigate the criminal court system, or you're being sued or considering suing someone else in civil court, you need an advocate who knows their way around. That's why finding the right lawyer for the job is so important. In this blog, I'll be helping you learn how to choose the right lawyer for the job and sharing information about legal strategies and courtroom procedures that you may come across when you have a legal problem. You need accurate information to help you understand the court system, and this blog can help.