By JB Solicitors
Although at the outset, the idea of free legal advice sounds great, there are certain considerations to make before opting for free legal advice.
Clients Will Want Fair Opportunities
Clients refrain from using free law advice since opposing parties can access the best legal advice from top law firms. For instance, a party will meet and consult with excellent lawyers to scare off the opposition. As a result, the other party will have no access to top lawyers that can represent them in their case.
Time Constraints
Firstly, client representation is limited to what a client pays for. Hence, lawyers will enter into these limited agreements to protect themselves. Legal malpractice insurance protects lawyers from client claims or lawsuits that may result in financial burdens.
This means that lawyers cannot provide clients with a lot of information during a free consultation. Moreover, such consultations tend to be very short. Therefore, clients cannot get as much information as they require to tackle their cases.
This is why people don’t always opt for free legal consultations. For instance, clients may ask lawyers about the legislation and laws that are relevant for their divorce or separation. Answers will indeed vary since every divorce case is unique and will have a different outcome.
Clients Want Detailed Discussions About Their Case
For reasons mentioned above, clients who get free law advice won’t have the chance to discuss their matters in detail. On the other hand, paid consultations will allow clients to:
- Explore options in their legal case;
- Choose the right lawyer that they think suits them;
- Have the lawyer fix any necessary documents regarding their case;
- Ask questions in more detail, knowing that they will also have complete answers;
- Know if their case really needs to be handled by the court;
- Choose if they want alternative dispute resolution or mediation. Mediation is a method where two parties engage with a mediator and discover potential solutions that will benefit both the disputed parties; and
- Plan out the steps in their case, if court proceedings are necessary.
Clients Get What They Pay For
Undoubtedly, excellent lawyers from top firms value their client’s time and money. In return, they provide the best legal advice clients could possibly get from them. Therefore, people must opt for consultations through which their lawyers can use their expertise and provide legal advice.
Clients may also not realise that paying a lawyer for their legal advice is a sign that they support and respect their profession. These payments won’t go to waste as they use this to support themselves like paying their bills.
Though free consultations are very tempting, it’s better to opt for paid consultations. This helps clients receive a complete analysis of their case.
What Clients Can Get Instead Of Free Law Advice
Before going to a lawyer’s consultation, clients should see if they have general knowledge of their legal case. While clients are discouraged from using free law advice, they can have access to legal information. Like this article, legal information may include blog posts and newsletters about Australian law.
Law firms provide legal information online so clients can have a better understanding of their cases and their various procedures. Clients who are looking to hire lawyers should first consult with them and see if they:
- Have experience in specialised legal services
- Are actively listening to a client’s case and give value to their time
- Post and continue to update their newsletters, web blogs, and videos in their social media accounts and website.
- Provide various options for their clients regarding their case
- Offer fixed fees for their services
About the Author
JB Solicitors is a Sydney-based law firm offering legal services in a range of areas including family law, criminal law, commercial law, property law, immigration law and employment law among others.
