This is the next post in my series meant to help Las Vegas fathers who are in need of effective legal representation that also stays within one’s budget. My last post provided an overview of topics that I will be discussing throughout the course of this series. In this post I will be cautioning men against hiring ‘discount’ legal services that do not have an attorney on site properly supervising paralegals.
There are many legal services that hold themselves out as a champion of fathers’ rights. Many of these firms are run by honest attorneys who do adequate and respectable work. However, there are legal services in town in which paralegals draft all of the legal documents, and the “attorney” who is supposed to run the office, provides little supervision. These legal mills are often able to charge discount rates because instead of hiring licensed associates with law degrees the attorney hires paralegals to draft all documents. Many times the work from these firms is not adequate because the employees do not have the legal training necessary to write complex documents and are not properly supervised by the attorney.
In order to tell the difference between a quality attorney who charges a fair rate, and a legal service that is providing cheap services for shoddy work, there are red flags a father can be aware of. The biggest red flag is if one did not meet with a licensed attorney during the consultation. Paralegals should be the attorney’s helpers. They should not be conducting consultations, providing legal advice, or answering client questions. If you have never had any contact with the main attorney or a licensed associate then you may wish to look elsewhere. A second red flag is if the prices quoted seem too good to be true. If a legal service quotes a price significantly lower than other attorneys in the area then there is a good chance that they are cutting corners by churning out documents with little regard to quality.
If one hires an incompetent legal representative then it could greatly harm their family law case for years to come. Sometimes going the cheapest route can mean additional legal costs in the future. In order to decipher between a good bargain and a scam, it is important to do your due diligence. Read reviews online about others’ experiences with the attorney, from multiple sources such as AVVO, Facebook, and Google. Ask questions at your consultation, and look for an attorney who is genuinely listening to your case and concerns. Finally, consult with more than one firm and compare your experiences. At the end of the day, it is best to go with your gut and hire an attorney that you are comfortable with and who you can afford.