Archive for category Hiring A Lawyer
Prenuptial Agreements
Posted by denverheat in Hiring A Lawyer, Uncategorized, denver divorce attorney, denver divorce lawyer, denver family law, mistakes of hiring a lawyer on August 9th, 2010
Improperly constructed Prenups may not be valid
A prenuptial agreement is a contract signed by a couple before they get married. ”Prenups” as they are called, are most commonly used to agree what will happen to the two party’s property and debts should they get divorced. Otherwise any divorce will have to go to court. A standard divorce will often attempt to just split all the property down the middle.
However, prenuptial agreements are not just for those with considerable amounts of property. They are commonly used by Denver family law attorneys when children from other marriages are involved. They may decide to give property to their children instead of their spouse in the event of an early death. Just like marriage is a contract, a premarital contract can be used to clearly spell out financial rights before marriage complicates the issue. Not only assets, but debts and how they will be handled by the couple should also be included in any prenuptial contract. For those with children or who expect to have children, a prenup can make the divorce process less messy because what will happen will have already been spelled out.
A premarital agreements have a lot of leeway, but that does not mean you can just sign away all your rights. Some states do not allow the parties to give up the right to alimony. Even if the state does allow one to give up alimony, if the party giving up the right did not have adequate counsel say by Denver family attorneys, then a court will not enforce the agreement.
For those that are already married or choose not to sign a prenuptial, then the laws of the state will govern the marriage. Death and divorce are the two most important issues that may vary, so consider hiring a Denver family law attorney. Even if you are not signing an agreement, it would be a good idea to know what will happen under state law.
Most state laws expect married couples to share all property including after a divorce or death. Spouses also have to pay for the other’s debts incurred during marriage and share control of any joint property. If you do not like these rules then your only option is to get a Denver family law attorney to draft a prenup designating how your marriage will work. Probate law recognizes prenuptial agreements more as the wealthy spouse stigma is wearing off. Every state now recognizes this type of contract, but it is a good idea for both parties to have lawyers advise them on the content, otherwise it looks suspicious to the court. However they are much easier to prepare and enforce than a post-nuptial agreement or divorce.
Matching lawyer experience and objectives with your personal injury case
Posted by denverheat in Denver personal injury lawyer, Firing your Lawyer, Hiring A Lawyer, colorado injury lawyer, colorado personal injury, denver injury attorney, denver injury lawyer, personal injury attorney on July 28th, 2010
Don't be afraid to negotiate with your lawyer!
For cases involving potentially crippling injuries you should hire a personal injury attorney to deal with insurance and the other party. Chances are the medical cost of your injuries alone will be much more than the attorney, and much more than you can afford. Along with expensive medical bills, personal injuries result in lost work and property damage. Recovering damages alone is possible, but you should at least consider a Colorado personal injury attorney‘s advice.
When searching for an attorney, you will want to first pick someone you trust, and that has experience in the kind of case you will be bringing. Most lawyers will refer you to an expert in the field you need. Try talking to several lawyers to compare prices and attitudes. Just like doctors, specialists in law get much of their business from referrals. They will usually talk to you for free, but will not give you legal advice until you pay them a retainer. Of course some lawyers will not take cases that have a low potential recovery amount, or if they do not think they have a good chance of winning.
Your friends or coworkers may not have been involved in a car accident or injury, but they can usually refer you to some Denver lawyer they trust. Recommendation are a good way to find out about lawyers beyond their internet marketing, but always meet with a lawyer and see if you see eye to eye before hiring. You should treat lawyer referrals the same way; just because one attorney tells you a guy is a expert Colorado personal injury lawyer, that doesn’t mean you can hire him blindly. They might even take that as a sign that you are irresponsible, and it takes you out of negotiations to lower the cost of services.
State and local bar associations all have referral services. They will list the names of lawyers and their legal specialty. The quality of referral services and their lawyers can vary however. So ask the bar association how lawyers are screened for qualification in the list.
Once you get to the consultation with the lawyer, bring all your relevant documents and discuss your case. Ask if they charge for this consultation, most do not for the first interview. Discuss the options on how the case can be handled and what experience they have with similar cases. Ask him what percent of his cases involve personal injury and what side of cases they worked for. If you are a plaintiff, you might not want to hire someone that works for defendants the most time. They probably have more of an insurance company mindset. Find out who the primary attorney on your case is and ask to meet him too. Many offices collaborate or have lower attorneys work on some cases.
Then you will want to know what the lawyer’s goals are for settlement, and what their history on insurance negotiation are. Make sure the Colorado attorney knows your goals also. Common goals are to obtain as much as possible, no matter the time or cost, or to get the settlement for as cheap and with as little hassle as possible, or try to get a higher settlement as quickly as possible.
Finding a Denver Attorney
Posted by bulldzr in Denver Attorney, Denver Attorney Finder, Hiring A Lawyer, denver law firm, find a denver law firm on July 23rd, 2009
Life in Denver can come at you fast. One moment everything is running smoothly, then suddenly everything turns upside down and you realize you need a good Denver attorney. It may be a lawsuit, it may be a divorce, or it may even be a matter of personal injury. Whatever your legal situation, finding a good denver lawyer from the many Denver, CO attorneys available is essential to winning your case.
The first thing you need to do is decide what type of attorney you need. Are you filing a personal injury claim? Get a personal injury lawyer. You don’t want a divorce lawyer handling your personal injury case.
You can search in the phone book for a Denver attorney. You are guaranteed to find a ton of them. Some will have giant ads, while others merely have a name and number. The ads may or may not be a representation of their skill. You will want to call those with only a number as well as those with the ads. Sometimes a smaller attorney who markets through word of mouth is the best attorney.
A person must be licensed to practice law. Because of this license, the bar association will have the referral number of most, if not all, licensed attorneys in your state. They will be able to give you the top three law practitioners who will be able to handle your case the best, so give the bar association a call.
If the Denver attorney you are considering offers a free consultation, use the time as a sort of interview for the lawyer. You want to ask him any questions you may have about his practice, his statistics, how he handles the cases, etc. This is your time to decide whether or not he will work for what you need.
Finding a Denver attorney who is skilled at his job, who knows the law, and who has a good, dependable reputation may be a process, but in the end when it comes down to your case you will be glad you did.
So you’ve been injured… What now?
Posted by bulldzr in Denver Attorney, Denver Attorney Finder, Hiring A Lawyer, Uncategorized, personal injury attorney on June 18th, 2009
Everyday, thousands of Colorado residents fall victim to different forms of personal injury. Whether it’s a car accident, or simply someone slipping and falling on the job, people often need legal representation. Finding a Colorado personal injury lawyer and filing lawsuits can be an intimidating process, so here are practical legal answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from victims.
1. “What types of injuries do I need a personal injury lawyer for?” — Depending on the circumstances, one can seek legal representation for injuries ranging from car accidents, work accidents, dog bites, food poisoning and medical malpractice to injuries resulting from negligence, inadequate security, or even defective products. There have even been cases based on the intentional infliction of emotional distress. If you are injured, whatever the circumstances, its better to seek the counsel of a personal injury lawyer to see if you can be compensated for your accident.
2. “How Do I choose the right Attorney for me?”
– The most comfortable way to select an attorney is through personal referrals through friends or coworkers. However, that is not the best way to select your legal representation in Colorado. There are many attorney search resources out there. Besides the obvious method of seeking out advertisements, you can look through online directories, and also attorney finder websites. The good thing about online directories and search sites is that there are reviews from actual clientele.
3.” How much will this cost me? Are the fees hourly?
– Fees for personal injury lawyers vary depending on the attorney. Most personal injury attorneys do not charge an hourly fee for their time. Normally, an attorney in a personal injury case will charge the client a percentage of the settlement that is attained, if any, at the end of the case. This is called a “contingency fee” because it is contingent upon the ultimate outcome of the case. There is no fee unless you win your case.
4. “I’m on a limited budget, where can I find a cheap lawyer without sacrificing quality?
– The best way to compare attorneys of all different specialties, regions, and costs is to use the Internet. Use a search engine, local directory, or even better, a Denver attorney finder site. This way, you can find a lawyer in the Denver Metro area, with the right expertise, and the right fees to meet your personal injury law needs.
If you have been injured, and think that you might be entitled to some compensation, visit the web for Denver attorney info. There is great information on all different aspects of law in Denver including personal injury law. When looking for a personal injury lawyer in Colorado, visit Colorado attorney Finder. Hopefully, these answers and resources will be helpful in meeting your Colorado legal needs.
(source: So you’ve been in an accident, now what? by Cuppett)
The New Denver Attorney Finder!
Posted by hawkeye11 in Denver Attorney, Hiring A Lawyer, denver law firm, find a denver law firm on June 18th, 2009
Finding a Denver Lawyer just got easier!
The new website “Attorney Search” provides Denver citizens a more efficient way to find a Denver Lawyer for your legal needs. Only specialized attorneys can be members of the website and all members must have at least 5 years of legal practice experience. Not only is the website a great source for finding Denver Attorneys or a Denver Law Firm, it is FREE to use as well!
How it Works
The website could not be any easier to use! All you need to do is visit the website (www.coloradoattorneysearch.com) and on the right sidebar you will found two search boxes. One is for your zip code to ensure you are matched with an attorney that is close to you, the second is for the area of law or legal need you have. That’s it! The site does the rest.
In a matter of seconds you will be matched with a Denver Lawyer that specializes in your legal need who is relatively close to your residence. You will be provided with a few choices, their full bio along with links to their website if you want to further research them. Again, all of the attorney members of the site have been verified and passed all requirements to be on the site.
Have I mentioned the FREE consultation all attorney members are required to provide yet? Yep, that’s right! All attorney members of this great site provide a FREE consultation so you are given the opportunity to get to know the lawyer and how they handle their routine. If you do not like them you haven’t lost anything really and you can get matched up with another attorney from the site.
What are you waiting for? Find your attorney today!
*Comment on this post with your thoughts of the look, feel and usability of the site!
Follow Colorado Attorney Search on Twitter: Denver Attorney
Reasons to hire a DUI Attorney
Posted by hawkeye11 in DUI Lawyer Denver, Denver Attorney, Denver DUI attorney, Hiring A Lawyer, hiring a dui lawyer on June 12th, 2009
by Chris Miller
Besides a familiarity with case law a DUI Attorney brings extensive trial experience to your side of the proceedings.
Refusing to consider hiring an experienced DUI Attorney because of the cost can be a costly mistake. Accepting the court appointed lawyer who may not have much experience with DUI case law will not result in the lowest fines or jail time. And in most cases you will still be required to pay the court appointed lawyers fees.
A competent DUI Attorney will know what facts to bring out in the testimony of witness or law enforcement officers and when to challenge that testimony. They will know what evidence may be available to help you win your case and file the necessary motions. They will be able to work with witnesses testifying on your behalf and to judge the value of each. An experienced DUI Attorney will also have access to expert witnesses to refute the accuracy of blood or urine test results.
Many experienced DUI Attorneys are familiar with the lack of reliability of most field sobriety tests and know the best ways to present this evidence in court. They will also be knowledgeable on the various breathalyzers in use and their accuracy. Breathalyzers also require legal certification and maintenance records, your Attorney will know where to find that information and how to use it in court.
Also facts such as whether or not you handled certain types of chemicals or took over the counter cold medicine prior to your arrest can have an effect on the breathalyzer results.
Even if you do not want to go to trial a DUI Attorney will help in bringing about a speedy end to the situation and the least amount of fines or jail time possible.
The best reason to hire an experienced DUI Attorney is so that you wont have any regrets afterwards. Many people walk out of the court room afterwards saying they should have hired a lawyer to protect their rights.
Don’t make that mistake.
Three Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Divorce Attorney
Posted by hawkeye11 in Hiring A Lawyer, divorce lawyer, mistakes of hiring a lawyer on June 4th, 2009
Did you know that when facing a divorce, one of the most important decisions you make is choosing which lawyer to hire? Unfortunately, too many people make the wrong choice and the consequences can be disastrous.
Michael D Sherman has written an excellent article on this topic, and the following are summaries of three costly mistakes and ways that you can avoid them:
Mistake #1: Hiring a generalist.
Solution: Hire a specialist. Ask the prospective divorce attorney whether they specialize in family law. If at least 70 percent to 80 percent of their practice not focused on divorce and family law issues, you should go elsewhere. You want to have a divorce attorney who has knows all the ins and outs…
Mistake #2: Hiring a lawyer that bills you by the hour.
Solution: Seek out a lawyer who will represent you on a fixed fee (a.k.a. a flat fee) instead of billing you by the hour.
Mistake #3: Hiring a lawyer to represent you solely because they have a reputation of being the meanest lawyer in town.
Solution: Find a lawyer who is assertive when he needs to be, compromising when it benefits your long-term best interests, and always aware of the many different consequences his actions have on you and your family.
Source: ”Need a Divorce Lawyer? Avoid These Three Costly Mistakes in Hiring Your Divorce Attorney” by Michael D Sherman of the Alabama Family Law Blog.
Choosing A Denver Attorney
Posted by hawkeye11 in Denver Attorney, Hiring A Lawyer on April 27th, 2009
At times people need legal help. Most of us are not trained legal professionals and may have little real knowledge of the law; this is when you will need a good Denver attorney the most. Finding the right lawyer may feel like a daunting task, by taking chances you may not realize the trouble you are in for until it is too late. While it may take some time to find the right Denver lawyer, it is time worth spending.
Most lawyers are able to decipher if another attorney is sensible and competent, or on the other hand not as honest as they are eager to please. Unfortunately, becoming a Denver lawyer yourself is not the way most people go about selecting the right lawyer. There are, however, a number of things you can watch for to tell if the attorney you are chatting with will be able to help solve whatever problem you may have, or whether you should run away as fast as humanly possible. Here are some things to look for:
1) Professionalism is extremely important when selecting someone to hire. Regardless of the trade or profession, you usually know when you meet true professionals. They are completely at ease in their environment; they act in a way that seems natural and appropriate; and they exude a quiet confidence. Lawyers are the same and you should look for just that.
2) Besides being professional, be sure to pick a lawyer with experience in the field for which you need help and always check his or her credentials. Some states have specialty certification programs; others do not. But unless your problem is routine paper-processing, an attorney who lacks experience in the field will have a poor feel for the nuances and subtleties of a problem, and may cause avoidable complications while trying to resolve things to your satisfaction. If your attorney is not forth coming with their credentials in conversation you should always check into it.
3) Attorney-client privilege is the practice of keeping information provided to your attorney between yourself and your attorney confidential in any and all circumstances. When selecting a lawyer a key quality is trust and knowing that your attorney will not reveal anything about the legal affairs of your case. That does not prevent them from telling you about other cases they have worked on, or about their professional background. Remember, though, that the law school they attended is usually less important than the kind of work they have done since. It says nothing about their professional ethics, and is no guarantee that they have an ounce of common sense.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to guarantee after selecting your attorney that you will automatically win your case or that Denver attorney is the right one for you. The decision often depends on many factors that vary from person to person, and case to case. The decision to hire a lawyer is intensely personal since, you are about to trust that attorney with your legal affairs. You should always devote an adequate amount of time to selecting the right attorney.
Contract Lawyers
Posted by hawkeye11 in Contract Lawyer, Hiring A Lawyer on April 22nd, 2009
While most have heard or maybe even dealt with, there is an entire side of civil law that most of us have never had to deal with. One aspect of civil law is the practice of contract law. Contract law deals with the legal binding and exchange of agreements between group or parties, usually called a contract. A contract can be formed in many ways; verbal, written, even by actions. For example, if you buy a couch, you’re contracted to pay the amount of the couch to the merchant. Our daily lives are full of contracts and agreements, some which we don’t normally think about. Contract law is designed to protect, defend and examine contracts made between people, agencies, groups, and organizations. To sum up contract law, we can say that it is “the law of obligations”.
Contract law is mostly practiced to determine with breaches of a contract and solutions to problems that arise from those breeches. What most people don’t know is that, contrary to what they believe, an informal contract can still be as binding and legal as a written contract. Contract lawyers deal with everything from the formalities and details of a contract to its final follow through. A contract lawyers main priority is to make sure that the terms of any contract are fulfilled and that in no way is the wording uncertain. This is highly important because, if the terms of a contract are determined ‘incomplete’ or ‘uncertain,’ the contract is liable for severance. For example, if an agreement was made between two people, and one party tries to break the contract, they might be successful if the contract is deemed uncertain or incomplete by the courts. In order to obtain damages for breaking a contract, a person may bring a lawsuit against the contract-breaker by filing a civil lawsuit usually in a state court. But, it is within the rights of the contract-breaker to petition a private arbitrator to hear their case as well. This may be the best idea, to negotiate your terms.
If you are in a bind involving contractual disagreements, hiring a contract lawyer to help you out with the process is well worth your time. Not only can a goof contract lawyer help you resolve any disputes you have with your agreement but, they can also ensure your contract is solid and legal, without any uncertain terms that would be normally grounds for severance.
There are many great Denver contract lawyers in the area. We recommend you go with an expert who has worked in the civil law and contract law area for many years. The attorneys at Peters & Associates are a great choice for the Denver area and can handle all your needs dealing with contract law. Check out their website at www.denverslawfirm.net or give them a call at (303) 321-8200
New Denver Attorney Search Website
Posted by hawkeye11 in Denver Attorney, Denver Attorney Finder, Hiring A Lawyer on April 10th, 2009
There is a new website designed for those who need to find legal representation in the Denver Metro. ColoradoAttorneySearch.com is a site with Denver’s top lawyers & law firms compiled into a database by their legal expertise. Only Denver lawyers who specialize in a field are listed to ensure searchers the best representation possible.
The Process:
The process of the website is really quite simple. When you enter the site you are presented with a search box with only 3 questions. All you need to do is enter your: 1.) Zip Code 2.) Legal Need/service 3.) How you heard about them – that’s it! After the correct information has been entered, the site will provide you with two attorneys that match your search. The attorneys will be close in distance to you and will be a part of a top Denver Law Firm.
Here’s a link that explains how the site works even better: Colorado Attorney Search Directions
It’s FREE
Probably the best part about this new site is its FREE! There is no charge to the searcher so you cannot really lose. You can use the site as many times as you want and you will never be charged. All of the ColoradoAttorneySearch.com member attorneys provide a free initial consultation to answer all of your questions too! You will meet with the attorney who is responsible for your case from start to finish and know you have received legal representation from Denver’s best.
We feel this is the best way to locate a Denver Lawyer or Denver Attorney because of the cost, it’s easy structure and the quality of Denver Attorneys that are members. Check out Denver’s new Attorney Search site yourself: www.coloradoattorneysearch.com
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