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Four Tips to Save Money in Your Divorce Case
by: Scott Morgan
1. Have an Clear Written Fee Agreement

Most experienced and effective divorce attorneys charge by the hour and require an advance retainer (or deposit) that is paid at the beginning of the case. Fees and expenses will be charged against the retainer until it is exhausted, at which point the client will be responsible for any additional sums incurred.

Clients will sometimes seek an attorney who will represent them on a flat fee basis, thinking that this will save them money. The problem with this arrangement is that the attorney has no incentive to do anything beyond the bare minimum. The client often feels like his case is being ignored, the attorney often feels like the client is intentionally trying to take up as much of his time as possible, and they may both be right.

Whether you hire a lawyer on an hourly or flat fee basis, it is extremely important that you get a written fee agreement that makes clear the terms of the representation, including whether any retainer is refundable, how often you will receive statements, the attorney’s hourly rates, etc. You should get and keep a copy of this fee agreement.

2. Don’t Mistake Your Divorce Lawyer for Your Therapist

Divorces are extremely emotional. Because your divorce attorney is (or at least should be) firmly in your corner, talking to him can be a very reassuring experience. This person understands your side of the situation and it feels good to talk to someone who sees the righteousness of your position. Because it makes you feel better you get into the habit of calling often, almost daily.

Unless you have more money than you know what to do with you should NOT fall into this trap.

Remember that every time you call your lawyer the clock is ticking and you are getting billed by the hour. Think of it as a very expensive cab ride. As soon as you get in the cab, the meter starts running. It works the same with a lawyer, as soon as you are on the phone with him the meter is running and you are getting charged.

This does not mean you should never communicate with your lawyer. On the contrary, you should communicate with your attorney anytime you need legal advice on your case. But before you pick up the phone make a list of questions or issues you want to discuss and limit your conversation to these points without wasting time ranting about the unfairness of the situation.

3. Don’t Use Your Attorney to Negotiate a Division of Personal Items

Arguing about which party deserves the blue sofa or the bread maker is not a good use of attorney’s fees. As much as possible, you should try to resolve these issues with your spouse. Ideally, if you and your spouse have already separated, you could divide these items by agreement and exchange them before the case has been completed.

Then, when it is time to finalize the divorce the term in the agreement and/or Final Decree, the document would simply state that each party keeps all personal effects (furniture, clothing, electronics, appliances, kitchen equipment, etc.) in that party’s possession. This can save a great deal in fees by avoiding debates over property that has very little market value.

4. Don’t Throw Away Dollars Trying to Save Nickels

This is extremely important. People will often be extremely frugal about hiring an attorney and think they are saving a lot of money by hiring a lawyer for a small flat fee, or hiring someone who is not very experienced but will work cheaply.

This is a mistake.

Your goal should be to reach a reasonable settlement as quickly as possible. In order to reach this goal you will need an effective lawyer who sincerely shares that objective with you. That lawyer will then use his experience and skills to help you reach that objective.

But notice that I said “reasonable” settlement, not just any settlement. If the other side cannot be convinced to settle the case on reasonable terms it is imperative that your lawyer be skillful and confident enough to effectively try your case.

Someone who is learning on the job, or is simply unprepared, can cost you a great deal of money. So don’t cheat yourself out of dollars in an attempt to save nickels.
About the author:

Scott Morgan is a practicing Texas divorce attorney. For more information on Texas divorce visit his website at http://www.texas-divorce-info.com. The website provides general information and resources on divorce, as well as specific information on Texas divorce law.


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 Personal Injury Lawyer - Do We Need Them?
 by: Mumtaz Shah

Following an accident you'll hear a person say that they don't need to see a personal injury lawyer, TOO expensive! In this article we will set out for you some reasons why NOT seeking, at minimum, a consultation with an accident lawyer could end up costing you a lot of money!

More often than not, regardless of whether you caused the accident or are its victim, if you do not seek a consultation with an accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident you may well end up regretting your decision. The overriding reasons for saying this are two-fold:

• the insurance company you will be making your claim against are trying to minimise their losses; and

• you most probably don't know what you're entitled to.

As A Victim Of An Accident

Let's assume you are the victim of an unfortunate accident. Let's further assume that your insurance company has come through and has agreed to pay all your medical bills. Now, you may well be feeling that your insurance company are the good guys and you don't need a lawyer's advice. Wrong!

What's happened is nothing less than what the insurance company is obligated to do under the terms and conditions of your accident policy. Moreover, the insurance company is hoping to play on the fact that you feel somewhat indebted to their generosity.

Profitability

That way, they hope, you'll not bring about a bigger claim for what you are rightly entitled to. In the long run that means that they don't have quiet as big an insurance claim loss and they can still make a profit from your policy.

In short, they are protecting their financial wellbeing at the cost of your entitlement rights. But, unless you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer you'll not know this and you'll feel that everything is fine.

So, the next time you are in an car accident or accident, ask yourself this question: 'Is my insurance company interested in protecting me and my rights, or are they more concerned with paying a dividend to their shareholders?'

Non-Profitability

On the other hand, a professional compensation lawyer is normally an ethical impartial third party who knows what your rights are. Aside from possibly being paid a fee, not from or by you, he's also likely to have another job to help a victim better than its' insurance company, (and, keep in mind, if any court proceedings occur, these fees are reclaimed from the opponent side).

So, why shouldn't they tell you the truth about what accident compensation you are entitled to? What's more, even if he does have a financial interest in your case, surely the better compensated you are, the better compensated he is?

As such, if anything, he has even more interest in making sure that you know exactly what your rights are and of making sure that you claim for those rights according to what you are entitled to.

Looked at it like this, it not too difficult to see who the interested party is and who the independent party is. Now ask yourself: 'Do you want to take advice from someone who is interested in minimising your claim, or someone who is interested in maximising it?'

Cause Of An Accident

Now let's look at it from the point of view of, you being the person at fault in the accident. You may well feel that you have nothing to fear, as your insurance company will pay for the damage done. You may even find that initially your insurance company agrees with this. But why...?

Unless you see an accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident you'll never know. Why? Are you 100% sure that it was your fault...?

Being Polite

The insurance company has to be polite, you're their customer! However, once the claim is over and you're thrilled with their service, you're definitely going to renew your policy. But the extra couple of hundred they ask for will justify the accident? 'Sir/ma'am, you had an accident and your premium has increased!'

Knowing exactly what your rights or obligations are after an accident can be extremely tricky. In most cases it will depend on what happened to cause the accident in the first place.

As such, seeking the advice of a compensation lawyer as soon as you can following an personal injury is the only independent way you can really determine and know exactly what you are entitled to or what you may be liable for arising from the accident.


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