A legal consultation in Utah is essentially an opportunity for a person who is seeking legal representation to meet with an attorney to determine if they wish to hire that attorney for their specific case. As such, the overall purpose of an attorney consultation is for a prospective client to present their legal case to a prospective attorney who is seeking to obtain clients.
A consultation with a lawyer in Utah may cover a variety of different legal topics, including:
- Bankruptcy;
- Business and Corporate Law;
- Consumer Law;
- Criminal Law;
- Debts and Debt Collection;
- Employment and Labor Law;
- Family Law;
- Immigration Law;
- Insurance Law;
- Intellectual Property;
- Landlord–Tenant Law;
- Professional Malpractice;
- Personal Injury and Accidents;
- Public Benefits;
- Real Property Law;
- Wills, Trusts, and Estate Law; and
- Workers’ Compensation.
It is important to note that almost all legal consultations will take place prior to a person actually hiring an attorney to take on their case. As such, an attorney agreeing to meet with a prospective client and perform a legal consultation does not constitute the attorney having accepted the person as their client.
In other words, there is no attorney-client relationship that is formed during an initial consultation. This relationship would not occur until the two parties had executed a fee agreement regarding the scope and details of the attorney’s representation. The fee agreement would then have to be signed and paid for by the client.
What Will Be Discussed at a Legal Consultation?
As mentioned above, during a legal consultation in Utah, the individual seeking to hire an attorney will most often discuss the details of their specific case. This may include discussing specific situations and facts that the prospective client has experienced in handling their legal issue thus far.
In general, a legal consultation will last anywhere between fifteen minutes to more than one hour. The most common length for a consultation is thirty minutes.
Because of the shortness of the consultation, in order to get the most out of a legal consultation in Utah, it is important to come fully prepared.
This means that you should gather any and all documentation and evidence that you believe to be relevant to your case, including:
- Copies of any and all relevant business agreements, sales agreements, or contracts;
- A copy of any and all evidence that describes any damages that you have suffered, such as medical bills, hospital costs, property damage, or other financial damages;
- Any and all documents regarding your personal position, such as personal finances, work information, relationship status, and other relevant information related to yourself that may be relevant to your case.
Although relevancy is mentioned above, it is important to always let an attorney decide what information is relevant to your case. This means that you should not withhold information from an attorney during a consultation. As a general rule, it is always better to provide an attorney with too much information than too little information.
Sufficient information allows an attorney to properly outline their legal strategy for your case. Further, it also allows an attorney to properly quote you regarding how much they believe your case may cost.
It is also important to take notes before and during the consultation in order to not forget a question that you may wish to ask the attorney. As such, you may wish to prepare before the consultation by drafting a list of questions that you wish to be answered.
Will My Legal Consultation Be Confidential?
In short, yes, all legal consultations that occur in Utah are confidential. Specifically, In Utah, the attorney-client confidentiality rule is governed by Rule 1.6 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct.
Although the consultation does not create an attorney-client relationship for an attorney to continue representing an individual, confidentiality is still extended to individuals in a legal consultation in a fashion that is similar to if an attorney-client relationship had been created.
In some consultations, an attorney may offer legal advice and guidance on the issues that the individual is facing. However, such legal advice doesn’t constitute an attorney’s agreement to represent an individual.
Knowing that legal consultations in Utah are confidential, it is important to communicate all of the details of your case confidently. This 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, an attorney cannot properly represent you. Further, a Utah lawyer can also not provide you with an accurate estimate as to the cost of your case if you leave out details that may impact the costs associated with handling the case. As such, it is in your best interest to be totally honest from the very start.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Lawyer Consultation?
As mentioned above, when preparing for a lawyer consultation, you may also wish to create a list of questions beforehand that you want the lawyer to answer regarding your specific case and their prospective representation.
For instance, you may wish to ask questions about the attorney’s background and qualifications, such as their education, how many years they have been licensed and practicing, and whether or not they have handled cases similar to yours in the past.
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 throughout their representation. For instance, will the lawyer themselves manage the day by day management of your case, or will they utilize support staff to assist with daily communications and tasks.
It is also important to discuss the attorney’s billing and fee structures because, at the end of the day, if you cannot afford the attorney, then they are likely not the right fit for your case. Additionally, you also want to ensure that there are no fees or charges that may surprise you down the road.
Are Lawyer Consultations Free?
As far as whether or not a lawyer consultation is free in Utah, that will be dependent on a variety of different factors. There are some attorneys that offer free initial legal consultations in order to attract prospective clients.
However, this means that the attorney is taking time out of their schedule to meet with a client for free by foregoing spending their time working on other cases where they could have been billing.
As such, there are many attorneys that charge a nominal consultation fee, such as $50. This allows an attorney to meet with clients who are more serious about their case. In some cases, an attorney will even bill at their normal hourly rate at an initial consultation. This is especially true in more populous cities and expensive markets. 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 Utah 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 Utah attorney will most commonly bill hourly. However, there are some cases that an attorney may handle for a one-time flat fee or take on the case on a contingency fee basis.
Attorney hourly fees in Utah 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 that the legal issue is happening in, with larger markets such as Salt Lake City, West Valley City, West Jordan, Provo, and Orem likely demanding higher hourly fees than smaller towns.
Should I Contact an Attorney and Schedule a Legal Consultation?
If you are having a legal issue that you believe would benefit from representation from a local attorney in Utah, then 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 for your specific legal issues.
At an initial legal consultation in Utah, 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 Utah 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.
