Before hiring a lawyer in Newcastle, it’s important to know exactly what you need from them. To help you out, we’ve put together three important questions to ask any lawyer before signing on the dotted line.
What are your specialities?
Lawyers can practise in many different areas of the law, and at varying depths. Yours might be a family law specialist, but they could also specialise in one particular area within that field—such as divorce settlements or child arrangement orders. You can then consider asking them what their specialities have been in recent years.
You could also ask about their training and continued development, as well as any expertise they might have regarding changes in the law recently. The point of all these questions is to ensure you’re hiring a lawyer who knows what they’re doing. While shopping around for the best price is important, it’s also important to understand that you might end up paying more if you hire a lawyer who isn’t good enough to win your case.
How are you billing me?
There are different types of costs you may have to pay when you hire a lawyer. The first is a fee based on time, often in six minute increments. You should ask them to explain their billing system and how exactly they’ll charge you.
Your lawyers will also have a separate fee for particular tasks that they have to complete for your case. So, for example, certain kinds of paperwork entail a fee when they're submitted. If you ask this question up front, you won't ever receive a bill that you're not expecting.
How strong is my case?
Finally, it’s also a good idea to ask your potential lawyer whether they think you have a strong case.
There’s no need to take this as anything personal, even if it is the first time you’ve considered your own case. This question can be asked more generally about whether they think your case will stand up in court or not, or what the likelihood of a particular outcome is (e.g. sole custody). It's in your lawyer's interests to give a genuine answer, because no family lawyer worth their salt will want to waste their time on a case that's going to fail.
Contact Stowe Family Law Today
We’re Stowe Family Law, the only national law firm dedicated to family matters with the UK’s largest team of specialist family lawyers and an office in the heart of the city of Newcastle.
At Stowe, we work hard to make family law easier to understand and know that each case is unique - each one needing tailored support and handled with care.
In choosing Stowe family law Newcastle, clients are guided through the process with empathy and care and the reassurance that they have the right team of people by their side.
With offices across the UK, we practice all areas of family law and support people in the Newcastle area going through a family breakdown to move forward in life from a position of renewed strength.
So, if you need the best lawyers in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, contact Stowe Family Law today, request a free call back or call us at 01914 390808. Our Newcastle family solicitors office can be found at Stowe Family Law LLP, Clavering House, 1 Clavering Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 3NG.