Flat-fee legal services are popping up a lot in Utah recently. For those seeking counsel hiring a lawyer for a flat fee may seem very attractive. In family law, it is always better to have a lawyer represent you in a divorce or custody case, especially when there is alimony or child custody at stake. However, using a flat-fee attorney can cost you much more in the end.
What if you lose Christmas with your son or daughter because your lawyer didn’t fight harder for you in court?
What if you lose your spousal support in the divorce? Can you stomach your ex and their new significant other going to Tahiti with your alimony?
When you bargain shop for an attorney, that is precisely the position you may find yourself. Attorney Emy Cordano knows that your lawyer should be a fierce protector of your rights. When your life, parental rights, and assets are on the line, you need someone passionate about the law and who is willing to go to bat on your behalf. Don’t risk losing a holiday with your children or precious finances to your ex. You need one of the best family law attorneys in Salt Lake City, Utah. You need Emy Cordano.
Flat fee services do the least amount of work for the most profit. Nor do attorneys of this ilk keep track of the actual work they do for you. Do you get detailed, clear invoices and an assessment of all the work done by the minute? No. You pay your flat fee and never know what specific work was done or not done on your case or by whom. That is not how a critical matter in your life should be treated. You and your case should be treated with the utmost respect.
Don’t Fall Victim to These Critical Errors
Hiring a lawyer can be overwhelming. You need representation and you want the best lawyer possible for your budget. However, trusting a flat-fee attorney is like trusting a dental school student to fix your crown. You get what you pay for.
Here are some critical errors to avoid.
- Never hire a lawyer with little to no experience: New lawyers are emerging and may seek to gain experience with your case for a flat rate. In fact, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Utah has even allowed lawyers to become licensed without taking the bar exam. When you are filing for divorce or are filing a paternity or custody case you want to protect yourself, your assets, and your children. So, do you really want an inexperienced law graduate who bypassed proving their knowledgeability? The bar exam is one of the most challenging exams to pass in western society, and rightly so. Utah’s pass rate is only 76%. You must take a more proactive approach to find the right lawyer for your needs.
- Go for quality and experience, not price: Suppose you need a brain tumor removed. Would you want a recent medical student, that wasn’t board-certified to do your brain surgery or would you want to go to a surgeon that charged a “flat fee” far less than a typical cost for brain surgery to do your brain surgery? The answer to this question is never “yes”. Not only is your life at risk but having to do brain surgery over again to fix the botched “flat fee” surgery means you could wind up paying twice as much in the long run as if you had gone to an experienced surgeon from the start. The same is true for attorneys. A less expensive lawyer may cost their client a substantial amount of money and put their client in serious jeopardy if they do not properly handle the case.
Questions to Ask Yourself
When you are looking for an attorney, be well informed. Here are some questions to keep in mind.
- Did this attorney pass the bar exam?
- Will they oversee your case personally or delegate it to an associate?
- How many cases of this nature have they handled?
- Will they be available for questions throughout the process or put you off until right before you go to a hearing or trial?
- What is their reputation among their peers?
- Are they a member of any local, state, or national organizations?
- Will they provide names of satisfied clients?
- What is their success rate, and how long have they been in practice?
- Can they provide references?
Your attorney should be your attorney, not a turn-table practice seeking volume over quality service.
Why Emy A. Cordano, Attorney at Law?
Salt Lake City family law attorney Emy Cordano is highly sought due to her knowledge and dedication to clients. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, she takes every case with the serious intensity you need when fighting for your family and your life. Don’t let flat-fee attorneys cost you everything. Call Emy Cordano today. Contact us by clicking here or call us at (801) 901-8159 for an initial consultation.