A legal consultation in Hawaii refers to a meeting that occurs between a person or business that is seeking legal representation and an attorney who is seeking to acquire a client. The overall purpose of an attorney consultation is to provide an opportunity for an individual or business to present their legal case and issues to a prospective attorney who can provide legal advice and possibly represent the client.
In other words, an initial consultation serves as an opportunity for a person seeking an attorney to get to know an attorney while presenting their legal case and issues. At a consultation, an attorney will listen to the prospective client’s case and make a determination as to whether or not they are suited to handle the person’s case. Next, the two parties may then agree to continue the representation by executing an attorney fee agreement.
In an initial consultation with a lawyer in Hawaii, the legal issues discussed may cover a variety of different legal topics, including criminal law, intellectual property law, consumer law, personal injury law, business or corporate law, estate planning, and family law such as divorce matters, to name a few.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
Once again, in Hawaii, the person searching for an attorney will generally outline and discuss the particular details of their case. This case discussion may include the person presenting facts and asking questions to the attorney regarding their specific legal issues.
During a legal consultation, some Hawaii attorneys may provide general legal advice to the prospective client. This is especially true if the case does not necessarily require an attorney’s assistance, but instead can be resolved via other means or methods. Some cases may even be resolved at the consultation itself.
Legal advice provided at a consultation will commonly include a legal road map as to how the attorney would professionally handle the legal issue(s), should the client choose to hire the attorney to move forward with their case. In other words, the lawyer will pitch their services.
In general, a legal consultation will last around thirty minutes, but some consultations can last for a longer or shorter period of time. The length typically depends on whether or not the issues that are being presented in the consultation are complex in nature.
However, because most consultations are short, it is important to come fully prepared for the consultation in order to ensure you get the most out of it.
Will My Legal Consultation Be Confidential?
Yes, all legal consultations that occur in Hawaii are confidential. Specifically, in Hawaii, the attorney-client confidentiality is governed by Rule 1.6 of the Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct.
Although an initial consultation in Hawaii does not create an attorney-client relationship for the purposes of an attorney agreeing to continue to represent an individual, confidentiality is still extended to any Hawaii resident who engages in a legal consultation under the confidentiality Rule.
Knowing that a legal consultation is confidential, it is important to confidently communicate all of the details of your case, including anything that you may deem harmful or irrelevant to your case. As a general rule, it is always better to provide an attorney with too much information than too little information. An attorney can then help you determine what may be relevant to your particular case.
Without all of the relevant information being provided to the attorney, they may not be able to provide you with an accurate timeframe or cost for your case. As such, it is in your best interest to be totally transparent during a legal consultation.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
As mentioned above, a legal consultation in Hawaii is a great chance to gather information regarding the attorney and their representation. As such, you should not be afraid to ask questions, such as:
- Questions about the attorney’s qualifications, such as their educational background, years of professional licensure, years of practice, and past legal experiences with cases similar to yours, etc.;
- Questions regarding the attorney’s proposed legal strategy for your case;
- Questions as to how the attorney will manage your case, such as if they will be the point of contact or if they employ support staff to handle communications and the day-to-day management of your case;
- Questions about specific issues in your particular case;
- Questions about the attorney’s fee structure and their estimate for the cost of your case; and
- Questions about the likely outcome of your case.
Are Lawyer Consultations Free?
As far as whether or not a lawyer consultation is free in Hawaii, that will be dependent on many different factors. There are several attorneys in Hawaii that offer free initial legal consultations as a means of attracting prospective clients in their area.
However, this means that the attorney is taking time out of their schedule to meet with you, rather than work on another case. As such, they are forfeiting time and money they could be making by engaging in a consultation to acquire a client. As such, most attorneys in Hawaii will at least charge a nominal consultation fee, such as $50 to $100.
In some cases involving more complex legal matters, an attorney may even bill at their normal hourly rate at an initial consultation. Further, an attorney may bill in areas where the market is more expensive. As such, it is important to inquire beforehand about the cost of a legal consultation.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
As far as how much an attorney in Hawaii will cost, the total cost of an attorney will be based on a variety of factors, such as the amount of legal experience that the attorney has, as well as their reputation in the legal community.
Additionally, the complexity of the case will also play a major role in the total cost of an attorney. A Hawaii attorney will most commonly bill hourly. However, there are some cases that an attorney may handle for a one-time flat fee or on a contingency fee basis.
Attorney hourly fees in Hawaii will typically range from $150 per hour to more than $350 per hour depending on the factors listed above. However, once again, an attorney may utilize support staff to handle the day to day management of a case and lessen the total attorney costs of the case. Support staff may bill as little as $50 or less per hour.
Once again, hourly fees will vary widely based on the market in which the legal issue is happening, with larger markets such as Honolulu likely demanding higher hourly fees than smaller towns.
Should I Contact an Attorney and Schedule a Legal Consultation?
You may be having a legal issue that you believe would benefit from representation from a local attorney in Hawaii. In this case, it is in your best interests to find an attorney and set up a legal consultation. Attorney referral services such as LegalMatch can assist you in finding the right attorney who practices law in your particular legal issue.
Once again, it is important to be thoroughly prepared for a consultation to get the most out of it. As such, you should gather any and all facts and evidence which may impact or be relevant to your case. Further, you should also bring a list of questions that you want answered during the meeting.
An experienced attorney in Hawaii will be able to help you determine your best course of legal action given the specific facts of your case. An attorney can also help you negotiate a resolution to your legal issue(s) or initiate a civil lawsuit on your behalf. Finally, an attorney will also be able to represent you in court as needed.
