Answer:

 

Here are some rules of thumb to think about:

 

1. Be a cautious consumer and always compare fees. Get a fee quote from at least three lawyers in the same field of law. That should give you an idea of what lawyers are charging for your type of case. If a lawyer won't give you a fee quote, find a different lawyer!

 

• 2. A high fee does not always equal good representation. Anyone can charge a high fee, even if they do not really know how to handle your case.

 

3. Be weary of very low fees that seem too good to be true. Lawyers spend years perfecting their craft and most do not just give away their services.

 

• 4. Remember that some lawyers have a very high overhead because of advertising costs and support staff. As a result, you may be paying more because the lawyer needs to pay their high bills.

 

5. Find out exactly who will be handling your case before you give up your money. Sometimes, the lawyer you first meet with will hand your case over to an associate that you know little about (and may not have the level of experience that you are looking for). You need to be told if this is going to happen.

 

• 6. Never, ever, let a lawyer make you promises about the outcome of your case in order to get your money. This is not only unethical, it is incompetent. Every experienced lawyer knows that anything can happen in a case, and outcomes are never certain. The best you can hope for is that your lawyer will do everything he or she can legally do to get you the best possible result, under the circumstances.

 

FEES MUST BE REASONABLE

 

The State Bar of Arizona requires that all attorney fees be reasonable. So what does that mean? The reality is that every lawyer thinks that their fee is reasonable even though every lawyer charges a different fee. We recommend that you call a variety of lawyers to see what their fee would be for your case. Once you have an idea about what the different lawyers charge, you can decide what fee is right for you.

 

FEES FOR CRIMINAL CASES

 

Most criminal defense lawyers in Arizona do not charge by the hour. Instead, they charge an "earned fee" (also known as a "flat fee") that is based on many factors, including the severity of the criminal charge, the lawyer's experience and reputation, the standard fee in the local market, and how busy the lawyer is at that time. A more experienced lawyer who is very busy is probably going to charge you a higher "earned fee" than a newer lawyer who is looking for cases. But, that is not always the case. Some very good lawyers may charge lower fees because they have become so adept at handling certain cases that it does not require a lot of their time.

 

FEES FOR PERSONAL INJURY CASES

 

Most personal injury lawyers accept cases on a "contingency fee." A contingency fee means that the lawyer only collects a fee if the case is settled, and the fee is a percentage of the total settlement amount. The standard contingency fee in the Arizona legal market is 33% of the gross settlement (usually higher if a lawsuit is filed). So, if a lawyer settles a case for a total of $9000, the attorney fee would be $3000. The client may receive the other $6000 in its entirety, or some of that may be used to pay legal costs, hired experts, or to pay medical providers that have a legal right to compensation. If the lawyer is unable to settle the case at all, then the lawyer receives no fee and the client will owe the lawyer nothing.

 

FEES FOR OTHER CASES, i.e. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS & REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

 

In addition to criminal and personal injury cases, the Silva Law Firm, P.C. handles other types of cases, such as helping people negotiate contracts and helping brokers and sellers negotiate real estate transactions. Many of these cases are accepted on an hourly basis, although some contract negotiations are handled on a contingency fee basis. If you have one of these cases, please call our office to discuss the legal fee that would apply to your case.

 

At the Silva Law Firm, P.C., we charge competitive, affordable, and reasonable "earned fees" for the criminal cases we accept. For the personal injury cases we accept, we charge a contingent fee (which means we don't get paid unless we settle your case, and the fee is a percentage of your total settlement). Because Mr. Silva is a referral-based law firm that does not employ associates, he is able to pass those financial savings onto you.