An agreement for legal services is similar to other service agreements between clients and service providers. These agreements are usually set in place to protect both parties and clearly layout fees, rights, and responsibilities of each party.
What Is In An Agreement for Legal Services?
What are the sorts of factors that should be included in an agreement for legal services?
- Fees
Fees are probably the most important aspect of this agreement as the client should know exactly how the fees are structured, when payment is expected and how payment can be made for the legal services provided.
- Nature of the services
The type of services and exactly what they entail should be clearly defined. This way, the client knows what to expect from the lawyer.
- Term of the agreement
The agreement could be valid for a certain time frame or it could be an indefinite, ongoing agreement that will be changed when need be.
- Rights and responsibilities
This will usually include things like arriving on time for meetings, being completely transparent etc.
- Confidentiality
In most agreements for legal services, there is some sort of confidentiality clause. This is because lawyers are often dealing with highly sensitive information that should be kept confidential if at all possible.
Why Are These Agreements So Important?
Dealing with any legal matter is of great importance as it could affect the outcome for the rest of your life. As a client, you should take dealing with a law firm very seriously and ensure that you read over all clauses in the agreement to ensure that you understand them. Agreements for legal services ensure that both client and lawyer are on the same page in terms of payments, services etc., as they will be required to work together cohesively if the desired outcome is to be achieved.
Any truly professional lawyer will provide you with an agreement for legal services before they begin providing you with legal services.
At La Pointe Family Law, we take agreements for legal services very seriously. We let you know precisely what you can expect from our services so you can effectively manage your expectations and budget. Get in touch with us today to book your first appointment with us.