A legal consultation in New Hampshire is a term that refers to an initial meeting that occurs between a person who is seeking legal representation and an attorney that is seeking to acquire a client.
The overall purpose of an attorney consultation is for a prospective client to provide details regarding the legal issues they are facing to an attorney who will then determine whether or not they will extend legal services and assist them with their case.
In an initial consultation with a lawyer in New Hampshire, the legal issues discussed may cover a variety of different legal matters, such as business law, military law, criminal law, family law, estate planning, or employment law, to name a few.
It is important to note that legal consultations will generally always take place prior to a person actually hiring an attorney to take on their case. As such, no actual attorney-client relationship was established at an initial consultation.
This means that an attorney agreeing to meet with a prospective client and perform a legal consultation does not mean the attorney has accepted that person as their client. An attorney only formally accepts a client once they offer them a fee agreement that outlines the scope of their representation, and the client then agrees to that contract by signing it and paying the stated retainer, if any.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
During a legal consultation in New Hampshire, the person seeking an attorney will commonly provide details regarding their specific case. These case details may include the facts and evidence involved in their issue, such as a contract that is being disputed or the facts of their family law issue.
After listening to a prospective client’s legal issues, an attorney may provide general legal advice to them. This legal advice 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 them to continue working on their case.
In general, a legal consultation will last around thirty minutes, but some consultations can last for a longer or shorter period of time, depending on whether or not the issues being presented are complex in nature. However, because of the short nature of an initial consultation, it is important to be fully prepared to utilize your time effectively.
Will My Legal Consultation Be Confidential?
In short, yes, all legal consultations that occur in New Hampshire are confidential. Specifically, in New Hampshire, the confidentiality of information between an attorney and a prospective client is governed by Rule 1.6 of the New Hampshire Rules of Professional Conduct. These rules are based on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
As mentioned above, even though an initial consultation in New Hampshire does not create an actual attorney-client relationship for the purposes of an attorney continuing to represent an individual, confidentiality is still extended to people who engage in a legal consultation.
Knowing that your legal consultation is confidential, it is important to confidently communicate all of the details of your case, especially including any and all facts or evidence that you may believe to be harmful to your case.
Once again, without all of the relevant information being provided to the attorney, they may not be able to accurately provide you with an estimate as to the potential costs of your case or the likelihood that your case will be successful. As such, it is in your best interest to be totally transparent during your initial consultation.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
When preparing for an initial consultation with an attorney, it is generally advised to create a list of questions that you wish for an attorney to answer regarding your specific case and their prospective representation.
For example, you may wish to inquire about the attorney’s background and qualifications, such as their education, how many years they have been licensed, how many years they have practiced law, and their past legal experiences regarding cases similar to yours.
Other questions that you may wish to ask may include the attorney’s proposed legal strategy for your case, as well as how your case will be managed. In other words, you should ask if the attorney will manage the day-by-day management of your case themselves or if they have support staff that will handle that.
Are Lawyer Consultations Free?
Whether or not a lawyer consultation is free in New Hampshire depends on a variety of different factors. There are some attorneys who 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 without receiving pay. In other words, they could have spent their time working on one of their other cases where they could have been billing and collecting attorney fees.
As such, most attorneys will at least charge a nominal consultation fee, such as $100. This is typically to ensure that their time is valued and the client is serious about seeking representation.
In some cases, an attorney may even bill at their normal hourly rate at an initial consultation. This is especially true in more populous cities and expensive markets or cases involving complex legal issues. As such, it is essential to inquire beforehand as to the cost of a legal consultation.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
As far as how much an attorney in New Hampshire will cost, the total cost of an attorney will be based on different factors, such as the amount of experience that the attorney has in handling similar cases, and their reputation in the legal community. Further, if an attorney is certified in the industry, they may bill at a higher rate.
Additionally, the complexity of the case will also play a major role in the total cost of an attorney. A New Hampshire attorney will most commonly bill hourly. Attorney hourly fees in New Hampshire will typically range from $100 per hour to more than $500 per hour.
However, as mentioned above, an attorney may also utilize support staff to handle the day-to-day management of a case. Support staff may bill as little as $100 or less per hour.
Once again, hourly fees will vary widely based on the market that the legal issue is happening in, with larger markets such as Manchester, Nashua, or Concord likely demanding higher hourly fees than smaller towns where the cost of living may be less.
Should I Contact an Attorney and Schedule a Legal Consultation?
You might be having a legal issue that you believe would benefit from representation from a local attorney in New Hampshire. In that case, it is in your best interests to seek an attorney and set up a legal consultation.
When meeting with an attorney 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. This will ensure you get the most out of the consultation.
After the consultation, an experienced attorney in New Hampshire will be able to help you determine your best course of legal action. An attorney may be able to help you negotiate a resolution to your issue or initiate a civil lawsuit on your behalf. Finally, an attorney will also be able to represent you in court as needed.
