Most people don’t need to use the services of a firm of Devon solicitors that often. But if you do need some legal advice, here are some of our favourite tips to help you save time, money and make the best choice.

Ask Your Devon Solicitors For An Estimated Cost

When it comes to legal matters, most of us have no idea how much it will typically cost for legal advice. For example, the amount of work involved in dealing with say a divorce is likely to be different to the conveyancing work needed for a house purchase. It’s always a good idea to ask your Devon solicitors for an estimate of what they would expect your legal work to cost. Don’t be afraid to ask Devon solicitors for this – they are obliged to give you this information on request anyway, and it helps you to avoid any nasty financial surprises down the line.

If your legal matter is complicated or likely to drag on, you can also help to control your budget by asking your solicitor to send you regular statements of account. To do this, you’ll first need to agree a initial budget with your Devon solicitors. Your solicitor will carry out the work on your case until this budget is reached, and will then send you a progress report. If you are happy with the work, you can then agree another budget amount with the firm of Devon solicitors.

Use Devon Solicitors With Suitable Experience

Within a firm of Devon solicitors, individual solicitors will usually specialise in different areas of law. It is in your best interests to choose a solicitor who has relevant experience and expertise in the area of law which you need legal advice with. After all, you wouldn’t go to a dentist for an eye test, and it’s the same with solicitors – you shouldn’t go to a firm that specialises in conveyancing (i.e. buying and selling properties) if you are getting divorced!

Make sure that the Devon solicitors you ultimately choose have a reasonable amount of experience with cases similar to yours. Not only will this probably save you money in the long term, but an experienced solicitor will also be a lot better at ‘holding your hand’ and easing any worries or concerns that you may have along the way. In addition, a specialist solicitor will also be able to give you a far better idea of the likely outcome of your case.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Devon Solicitors About Legal Aid

If you are receiving benefits or on a limited income, you may be eligible for legal aid to help pay towards some (or all) of your legal costs. It’s always worthwhile checking to see if you are eligible for legal aid. If you do qualify, ask the solicitors if they will work for you on a legal aid basis – as not all Devon solicitors are able to.

Ask All Devon Solicitors For A Free Initial Meeting

Sometimes, legal cases can go on for a long time – so it’s really important that you feel comfortable with your solicitor. Most Devon solicitors will usually provide a free initial appointment to take a look at your case, if you ask nicely. This is a good opportunity to meet your potential solicitor in person, and assess whether you are happy with them working on your behalf.

Make A List Of Questions For Your Solicitor

Before you visit firms of Devon solicitors for your free introductory meeting, take some time to write down all the questions you want to ask – as you may forget to ask important questions if you don’t have a list. At the meeting ask all your questions and if you don’t like the answers or don’t feel happy with the solicitor, then consider finding another firm of Devon solicitors.

Don’t Rely Totally On Recommendations

Getting recommendations for Devon solicitors from your friends and family may initially sound like a good idea, but do your own research too. After all, no two people’s legal problems are ever exactly the same, and your friends may have used Devon solicitors for a totally different purpose to yours. Once you have short-listed a couple of firms, it can be worthwhile mentioning their names to your friends and workmates to see if they have any good (or bad!) feedback or comments about them.

Don’t Be Guided By Price Alone

When it comes to choosing Devon solicitors, try to look at overall value rather than the cheapest price. As with most things in life, the cheapest may not be the best in the long term. If you get a selection of different quotes from Devon solicitors and one of them seems almost too good to be true, then be careful as it probably is! Some of the “less ethical” firms will deliberately give you a low quotation to get your business, and then increase their costs down the line.

With legal advice, it’s often a good idea to get an experienced and professional solicitor to handle your case. Even though they may have a slightly higher fee rate, they will usually work a lot faster than a less experienced solicitor – so you’ll end up paying less overall. In addition, the golden rule is that the more experienced a solicitor you have, then the greater the chances of them winning for you (or getting a larger settlement)

Communicate With Your Devon Solicitors Regularly

Make sure that you regularly communicate with your Devon solicitors – either by phone or email. It doesn’t matter what you are using a solicitor for, regular updates and progress reports are absolutely essential. Not only will this stop you from worrying, but it will also help you to keep control of costs.

Don’t be afraid to contact your solicitor – remember that they are working on your behalf! Before you instruct your Devon solicitors, find out how easy it is to actually get in touch with them. After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than needing information and then finding that your solicitor takes days to respond!

Use A Solicitor You Feel Comfortable With

Your Devon solicitors are representing your interests, so it’s essential that you get along with them and feel comfortable with them working for you. Look for a solicitor that has a genuine interest in both you and your case.

In addition, you need to feel completely at ease sharing all your legal problems with your Devon solicitors. This is extremely important if your case focuses on delicate, sensitive or personal matters – for example, getting divorced, domestic abuse or family disputes.

Choose A Firm Of Devon Solicitors Near To Your Home Or Workplace

If you can, try to find a practice of Devon solicitors who ticks all the boxes as locally as possible – ideally close to your place of work or home. Occasionally, you may need to see your Devon solicitors face-to-face, or drop off documents and paperwork. If you use a solicitor from outside your area, you’ll waste a lot of time travelling and may even need to take time off work to see them. By using local Devon solicitors, you can probably pop in during your lunch-break or after work.

Now Start The Search For Your Local Devon Solicitors

Now you know exactly what to look for, it’s time to start looking at the local firms in your area. You’ll find a list of your local firms of Devon solicitors here – all conveniently sorted by Towns and Cities.

So follow these simple tips, and you’ll easily find the right Devon solicitors for your needs!