Upon being retained as your legal counsel‚ your attorney should expect that you will: 



• Be completely honest about all facts concerning your case‚ whether or not they are favorable to you.
• Be on time for appointments and not take up an excessive amount of time with visits or phone calls relating to minor details or petty matters.
• Take his/her advice.
• Understand that no lawyer can guarantee results in a contested matter.
• Be patient and understand that legal matters are rarely “open and shut” cases; they require time and research. 
• Pay a reasonable fee for the work performed.

You are hiring an attorney to work for you‚ as your advocate. You should expect your attorney to: 

• Confer with you to pinpoint the problem.



• Research and analyze all available facts and information relating to your problem.
• Interview those involved.



• Negotiate a settlement if both sides can reach a fair agreement. 



• Keep you informed about what is going on in your case and answer your questions.



• Discuss fees with you at your first visit‚ and come to an agreement about the way in which the fee will be paid.



• Be candid with you about your problem, your prospects for success‚ the time it will take‚ and the advisability of accepting any settlement offered. 



• Keep in confidence anything you say.

Some of things that you should look for in an attorney‚ include: 




• The attorney’s reputation in the community.



• The attorney’s experience with your type of legal problem (don’t hesitate to ask about this during your initial meeting.)



• The attorney’s communications skills – willingness and ability to talk to you in a language you understand and to keep you informed about the progress of your case‚ responsiveness to your questions and concerns.

Let your attorney know at your first meeting that these qualities are important to you. 

How do attorneys set their fees?
Legal fees are set and determined by an agreement or contract between the attorney and the client. The agreement as to what the attorney is to do and how much the client is to pay may be oral or in writing. The amount of the fee and the basis for the charge are determined by a number of factors: 



• The amount of time spent on your problem 


• The attorney’s ability, experience, and reputation 


• The results obtained 


• Overhead costs such as secretarial and para-professional assistance‚ investigators‚ and other personnel 



• Your ability to pay 


• The primary types of fee arrangements are: 

• Hourly rate, in which the total fee is determined by the attorney’s hourly charge times the number of hours required to do the job. 


• Fixed fee, in which a specific amount is agreed upon for a known service, such as divorce, bankruptcy, will, incorporation, contract, and defense of a criminal charge. 


• Contingent fee, in which the attorney receives a percentage of an amount recovered on the client’s behalf. The client always is expected to pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in prosecuting the litigation. If no recovery is made‚ the attorney receives no fee. 


• Retainer is merely a method by which the attorney is paid. This is when the client makes a “down payment” from which the charges that accrue as the work progresses are deducted.

What is the role of witness in court?
A witness plays an important role in a court proceeding, providing valuable information about the matters under consideration. If you are subpoenaed as a witness in a trial‚ it is your duty to appear and testify. The lawyer who asks you to come to court can provide you with more specific information about your court appearance.

Your right to legal counsel if you are arrested is a fundamental one in our country. You may retain a private attorney‚ or‚ if you cannot afford to do so‚ you should immediately contact the public defender’s office to represent you.