Tag Archive for 'workmans compensation lawyer'

So You Want To Be A Lawyer?

Published on July 3, 2010 in Personal Injury Attorneys. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

More and more people each day decide that they are interested in becoming lawyers. But what does it take to go into this profession? One of the first things to realize is that if you are going to be a lawyer, you will have to first go through an elaborate process that includes law school and passing the bar exam.

Being a lawyer can fit well with various types of personalities. Once you are a lawyer, there are many types of law that you can practice. You might be a real estate lawyer, or perhaps you will choose to be a trial lawyer and prosecute criminals. Many lawyers also work to protect the civil rights of the disabled or elderly. If that interests you, you could be a disability lawyer or social security lawyer. So in other words, you will not necessarily be “duking it out” inside of a courtroom.

Sure, some lawyers are trial lawyers that prosecute criminals. But if that sort of law doesn’t suit you, you can also go into law that protects people’s rights. For example, a disability lawyer or social security lawyer will work to help people gain the benefits that they are entitled to under the law. These are just a few of the branches of law that you can specialize in once you are a lawyer.

At least 90 days before you begin your law studies, you must register with the State bar and after you have completed a year of law school, you must pass the first-year law student’s exam. Once you have completed your studies, you must, of course, also pass the bar examination. Although these requirements can vary, this in a nutshell is what you will need to go through.

Now keep in mind that applying to law school is more complicated than just getting your bachelor’s degree. You are required to take the LSAT (or Law School Admission Test) before you even apply for schools. Then you will need to fill out applications for the schools that you are applying to and also write personal essays. It is also important that you have letters of recommendation from teachers that are familiar with you work. It can be very hard to get into law school, especially without a good score on the LSAT. Make sure that you apply to a variety of schools with some “safe picks” included. And be prepared that you will need some cash saved up not only to go to law school, but also to apply to law school. These entry fees can really add up.

When you finally get into law school, it is key to get very good grades throughout your program. This will help to assure that you get a good position upon graduation. Employers look closely at your grades. Before you start your classes, you must also register with the state bar. There are a variety of tests along the way to being a lawyer. After your first year, you will be required to take a first-year law student’s exam. When you finally finish law school, of course, there is another key test. You will need to study for and pass the bar exam.

Jeff Harmon is a former disability lawyer who is now working on a book about the legal profession. She loved working with clients directly over the years in Manhattan, but she also loves her new relaxing lifestyle at her lakefront property in Michigan.

Social Connections as a Path Toward Finding Legal Help

Published on May 11, 2010 in Personal Injury Attorneys. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

In some regards, finding a lawyer has much in common with finding a number of other professionals or skilled individuals. For example, it is common for those who are looking for a new family doctor to ask friends, relatives and coworkers if they have any recommendations or advice. This, of course, makes a great deal of sense as having the opinion of someone that you trust can go a long way in making a correct decision.

Knowing someone that is already familiar with a lawyer or a law firm can give you valuable insight. Yet, people often overlook how valuable this sort of referral can be. The lawyer that you are introduced to might not handle your type of case, but that doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t know someone that does. In this way, any legal referral may prove to ultimately be fruitful.

Once you have a legal referral, for example, let’s say one of your college friends has a brother that is a lawyer; realize just how important this referral happens to be. The simple fact that this lawyer does not practice the type of law that you need help with doesn’t mean that he or she is a dead end. It is quite possible that they will be able to direct you to someone else who is more suited to your needs. This happens all the time and could prove to be very helpful to you.

There are numerous ways that you can use friends and family to help you find a lawyer. If your friends and family do not have an immediately obvious referral, have them ask their friends, coworkers and other family members as well. Thanks to email what once took potentially hours worth of phone calls can now be done in just a few minutes. Have your friends and family contact those in their social spheres to see if they have any lawyers that they feel would be a good fit. Usually this will work, especially if given time.

You should also use your own social networks to explore what kind of help may be available to you. Reaching out to friends and acquaintances through email and instant messaging is a good way to see if someone can point you in the right direction. People enjoy being helpful, especially when there is very little time involved in the process. You might find that your second cousin that you nearly forgot all about has a friend in your area that has been practicing law for years. This kind of referral can really get the ball rolling, and you can have competent legal help in no time!

Jeff Harmon is a former disability lawyer who is now working on a book about the legal profession. He loved working with clients directly over the years in Manhattan, but he also loves his new relaxing lifestyle at his lakefront property in Michigan.

The Benefits of a Retainer Agreement

Published on March 9, 2010 in Personal Injury Attorneys. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

The issue of how you will pay your lawyer is usually a point of consideration when selecting a lawyer. Often lawyers will present their clients with two potential solutions for how they are to be paid. One solution is to go the hourly route and the other solution is to use a retainer agreement setup. Overall, a retainer agreement option has more benefits in most situations according to most lawyers and clients.

So what is a retainer agreement? A retainer agreement is a fixed amount that a client pays to guarantee that the lawyer will work on your case for a set period of time. Usually this is an estimated amount that is paid monthly. Retainer agreements aren’t just used by lawyers; all kinds of professionals use retainers including freelancers and real estate professionals.

If you have a retainer agreement with your attorney, whenever he or she does something for you, it is billed from the retainer. The money is held in a secure trust fund that the attorney can draw upon for the services rendered. If you don’t use up all the money in your retainer in a given month, the lawyer will roll it over to the next month. However, if you require more work than your retainer agreement covers, you end up getting billed extra.

Hourly rates are usually the most common form of pay with most lawyers. With an hourly rate, obviously, you would keep paying your attorney until the case was settled. However, most lawyers and clients find that the retainer agreement is a better solution for both parties.

The lawyer knows you and your case are confirmed for a certain amount of work each month. Therefore, he cannot take other clients over you. This fact assures a client that he or she will be given high priority with the lawyer. Also clients typically appreciate not being “nickel and dimed” for every little expense that occurs each month.

Usually clients will save a good deal of money using a retainer fee over paying an hourly rate. Clients can also feel free to call the attorney with questions each month under the retainer. Clients can also know ahead of time how much money they will be spending. This can help tremendously with budgeting.

On the other hand, a lawyer knows that you are dedicated to your case and can feel free to go ahead and work on your behalf each month. He also doesn’t have to potentially track down people and get them to pay. This can be rather inconvenient when your attorney should be focusing his or her full attention on your case.

Jeff Harmon is a personal injury lawyer with over ten years of experience who maintains a regular blog discussing the field of law. Harmon has worked in both the San Francisco and San Diego areas and now resides outside of Tempe, Arizona with his three dogs.