A legal consultation in Oklahoma refers to an initial meeting that involves 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 a prospective client to present their legal case and issues to a prospective attorney. The attorney will then listen to the client’s case and make a determination as to whether or not they are suited to handle the person’s case.
In an initial consultation with a lawyer in Oklahoma, the legal issues discussed may cover a variety of different legal subjects, including criminal law, oil and gas law, consumer law, personal injury law, business or corporate law, and family law, to name a few.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
As mentioned above, during a legal consultation in Oklahoma, the person searching for an attorney to represent them will generally outline and discuss the details of their specific legal issues. This discussion may include the person presenting facts and asking questions to the attorney regarding the specific legal issues of their case.
During the consultation, some Oklahoma 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 and can be resolved via other alternative resolution methods.
The legal advice given 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 and move forward. Once again, an attorney is usually trying to pitch their services and demonstrate the value they could bring to the 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 that are being presented in the consultation are complex in nature. 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 Oklahoma are confidential. Specifically, in Oklahoma, the attorney-client confidentiality rule is governed by Rule 1.6 of the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct. This is based on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys.
As mentioned above, although an initial consultation in Oklahoma does not create an attorney-client relationship for the purposes of an attorney continuing to represent an individual, confidentiality is still extended to any Oklahoma resident who engages in a legal consultation. This means that a legal consultation has confidentiality privileges similar to that of an actual attorney-client relationship being created.
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 irrelevant. As a general rule, it is always better to provide an attorney with too much information than too little information. This especially includes 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 provide you with an accurate estimate of the cost of your case, or the likelihood of your case being successful. As such, it is in your best interest to be totally transparent from the start of a consultation.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
Once again, a legal consultation in Oklahoma is a great chance to gather information regarding how your case would be handled. As such, you should not be afraid to ask questions regarding the scope of the lawyer’s representation and their opinion on your case.
Examples of common questions you should ask during a lawyer consultation in Oklahoma might include:
- Questions about the attorney’s qualifications, such as their educational background, years of professional licensure and 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 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 Oklahoma, that will be dependent on many different factors. There are some attorneys in Oklahoma 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 a client for free, which forgoes any time that they could have otherwise been working on one of their other cases where they could have been being paid on.
As such, most attorneys in Oklahoma will at least charge a nominal consultation fee, such as $50. In some cases involving more complex legal matters, an attorney may even bill at their normal hourly rate at an initial consultation. As such, you should always inquire beforehand as to the cost of a legal consultation.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
As far as how much an attorney in Oklahoma 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. An Oklahoma attorney will most commonly bill hourly. However, there are some cases that an attorney may handle for a one-time flat fee.
Attorney hourly fees in Oklahoma will typically range from $100 per hour to more than $500 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 Oklahoma City and Tulsa 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 Oklahoma. In that case, it is in your best interests to find an attorney and set up a legal consultation. At an initial legal consultation in Oklahoma, it is important to be thoroughly prepared.
As such, you should gather any and all facts and evidence which may impact or be relevant to your case. Once again, it is important to allow the attorney to determine what may or may not 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 Oklahoma 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 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.
