A person may meet with a lawyer in one of two situations. In the first instance, a person may have a problem that they believe a lawyer might address for them. For example, a person may live in a residence in a homeowners’ association where the board of directors has done something the person does not like. They may wonder if the board has the legal authority to do what it did and whether there is anything the person can do to check the board’s actions.
In the other situation, the lawyer already represents the person, and they meet to address the issue on which the lawyer is already working. The lawyer may be creating an estate plan with the person and the lawyer wants to review the plan with their client and find out if it meets their needs or requires modifications.
In both situations, the lawyer who engages in a legal consultation should be a professional who is licensed to practice law in the state of Mississippi.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
Of course, if the client is already being provided with a service by the lawyer when the consultation takes place, they would talk about the status of the project on which the lawyer is working. For example, if a lawyer is creating an estate plan for the client, they might review the plan and decide whether it is complete and is what the client is looking for or if it requires additional work.
If the client is a party to a lawsuit at the time of the meeting, the client and their lawyer would talk about a number of possible issues, e.g., the status of the case. For example, the other party may want to take the deposition of the client and they could discuss scheduling and preparation for the deposition.
If it is a first consultation with a lawyer for the client, they will discuss the legal issue that brought the client to the lawyer’s office for legal advice. The client would want to give the lawyer a description of their problem and what they might want a lawyer to do for them to resolve it. The lawyer would explain whether they provide the service that the client needs to resolve their problem.
The client would want to know how the lawyer charges for their service and how long it would take to resolve the problem.
Will My Legal Consultation Be Confidential?
Attorneys in Mississippi must be licensed by the state of Mississippi. As licensed attorneys, they are obligated to respect the Mississippi rules of professional conduct. The rule regarding the confidentiality of client communications is one of the most important rules that guides a lawyer’s conduct. This is the rule that requires a lawyer to maintain the confidentiality of client communications, subject to certain limited exceptions.
In part, the rationale for this rule is that it serves the cause of the client if they are able to communicate fully and honestly with the lawyer even about matters that might be embarrassing or harmful to their legal interests.
There are two exceptions to this rule in Alabama, as follows:
- Preventing Imminent Death or Substantial Bodily Harm: A lawyer may disclose information they have obtained from their client if they believe it is necessary to stop the client from engaging in a criminal act that would cause death or substantial bodily harm to a third party;
- To Mitigate a Crime or Fraud: A lawyer may reveal information obtained from a client in order to prevent or mitigate harm to the financial interests or property of another person. The lawyer may reveal the information if the harm is the reasonably certain result of the client’s commission of a crime or fraud and the client used the lawyer’s service to further the fraud;
- Attorney-client Disputes: The lawyer might disclose information if they need to do so to defend themselves if there is a conflict between the lawyer and the client. A lawyer may also breach a client’s confidentiality in order to defend against a criminal charge or civil claim against the lawyer if it is grounded in the client’s actions.
- A lawyer may breach a client’s confidentiality in order to answer claims against the lawyer made by the client in a legal proceeding.
There are a few other technical exceptions, but the three noted above are the main exceptions in the state of Mississippi.
If a person is worried about the confidentiality of their discussions with their lawyer, they want to ask the lawyer about whether their communications are going to be confidential.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
It is advisable for a person to make note of any questions they have before they meet their lawyer for their consultation. That way they will be sure to remember what they want to ask and be sure to get answers to their questions.
If the meeting is the first one between the client and the lawyer, the client might start by relating the facts of the situation that has led the person to consult a lawyer. Again, a person may want to prepare a written summary with all the essential facts noted so they can communicate clearly with the lawyer. They want to give the lawyer a complete introduction to the facts of their situation.
They would talk about the legal issue that the person’s situation presents and how the lawyer might be able to address the person’s issue. Of course, the lawyer would want to be paid for any service they might provide, and the person would want to know how the lawyer’s service is going to resolve their problem. They might also want to know how long it might take to get to the final resolution.
If it turns out that the lawyer cannot provide the kind of service that the client needs for their problem, they should ask the lawyer if they might refer them to some lawyers who do provide the necessary type of services.
If the lawyer offers services that the client thinks promise the resolution they need for their problem, they might want to ask the lawyer about their qualifications and their experience with the type of case the client has. If the client should hire a lawyer to represent them, they want to have an agreement in writing that spells out all of the terms of their relationship.
Are Lawyer Consultations Free?
A lawyer and client might be meeting to talk about a project that the lawyer is already working on for the client, and the lawyer is charging an hourly fee. If so, the lawyer may well charge the agreed-upon hourly fee for the meeting. However, if the lawyer is charging the client a flat fee or a contingency fee, then there would not be a consultation fee for individual meetings.
Otherwise, for a first consultation, a lawyer might not charge any fee at all. Or, if they do charge a fee, they might charge a modest flat fee for a specified period of time, e.g. half an hour. Again, when a client schedules a meeting, they can confirm whether there is a charge and if there is, how it should be paid.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to the question of how much a lawyer costs. The cost of a lawyer in Mississippi varies depending on a number of factors. For example, in the big cities of Mississippi, e.g. Biloxi, a lawyer’s costs are higher, so they would charge more than lawyers who practice in smaller towns.
Another key fact is the nature of the service the lawyer provides. A lawyer might charge a flat fee for an uncomplicated bankruptcy in which they expect no complications. They might charge an hourly fee to draft a commercial lease for a business. Generally, lawyers collect a contingency fee in personal injury lawsuits.
A lawyer who has established a reputation in a particular market is probably going to charge more than a younger, less experienced lawyer. The latter lawyer may not yet have established a reputation. Or, a lawyer may be recognized for their success in a particular type of case, e.g., medical malpractice. If they have represented many clients in successful cases, they would expect to be paid more than a lawyer who has not demonstrated the same level of success.
A lawyer may have lots of experience in a special type of lawsuit that most other lawyers would not know how to handle, e.g. representing the victims of airplane disasters. This would give them the ability to collect higher fees.
The characteristics of a client’s case may have an influence on the cost of an attorney’s representation. Some cases consume more of an attorney’s time and effort, so the cost might be higher. A case might also involve paying certain expenses. For example, if the input of an expert witness is required, the client would have to pay the cost of the expert’s consultation and possibly other costs as well.
Should I Contact an Attorney and Schedule a Legal Consultation?
If you have a legal problem and would like an attorney’s advice, you want to consult a local attorney in Mississippi. In a discussion with your attorney, you should be able to find out if they can offer the service you need to resolve your problem.
You can present your issue at no cost to a LegalMatch.com attorney who lives near you. The service is guaranteed to be completely confidential. If you need representation, your attorney will provide you with an offer that comes with a complete attorney profile, details on their fee structure, their background, and ratings from other LegalMatch users. With this information, you should be able to decide if the attorney is the right fit for your issue.
