What Should I Consider Before Hiring an Attorney?

Know What Type of Attorney You are Considering Hiring

You need to determine if the lawyer you are considering hiring has the necessary experience and expertise to represent you effectively on your case. Ask your coworkers, family members, or friends to recommend any attorneys they may have used for a similar case.

Thoroughly Investigate Your Options

Make sure you research several attorneys by asking them questions about their experience and law practice areas. You want to make sure that the lawyers you are considering have expertise in the area of case law that you need. See if they offer a free initial consultation, how long they have been practicing, what cases they normally handle and the percentage of each type, how often they handle your particular type of case, and what fees can be expected. Make sure you ask any and all questions up front no matter how trivial they may seem. Also, make sure you make phone calls, but then meet with your finalists in person to be certain you are comfortable before agreeing to hire someone.

Observe How Your Prospective Attorney Replies to Your Inquiries

Watch whether the attorneys you interview write down notes and seem organized. Get a feeling for how open and straightforward they are. See if the potential lawyers explain things clearly and give you any written information you need.

Observe Your Prospective Attorney's Office Environment and Staff Members

You should also be comfortable in your lawyer's office and with their staff members since you will be working closely with them over a period of time.

Attorney Fees and Costs

You need to get information about any fees or costs associated with your case. Fees typically fall into four categories.

1. Contingent - You do not pay your attorney unless your case is won. Then the lawyer usually takes anywhere from 20% to 35% of your settlement or judgment.

2. Hourly - Your lawyer charges you a flat fee per hour.

3. Flat - For certain types of cases a single, one-time fee is charged.

4. Retainer - This is an up-front fee used to keep an attorney. This money is paid before the lawyer starts work and many times is used like an initial payment for fees and expenses incurred.

If you cannot afford to pay fees immediately you may negotiate with your prospective attorneys to pay on an installment or monthly payment plan.

Know Your Agreement

Make sure you and your attorney are on the same page as far as what exactly your agreement is. Make sure your lawyer and you both know what is covered and get an agreement in writing so there are no remaining questions.

Major Factors to Consider

When considering hiring an attorney, look for the right combination of availability, cost, experience, and suitability (how well your ideas mesh with the attorney's) for the best attorney to represent you.

If you or a family member are in need of legal aid, contact the experienced attorneys at The Florida Firm today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Woloch

Identity Theft - You Can Prevent It

Identity Theft - You Can Prevent It
By now everybody has heard of some horror story about identity theft from TV shows or magazine articles. In the popular culture, references of identity theft are found in the novels and movies, notably Frederick Forsyth's novel, �The day of the Jackal� and the 1995 movie �The Net.� In real life, the Identity Theft Resource Center (http://www.idtheftcenter.org) reports 8.9 millions identity theft victims in 2006.

So, what is an identity theft? An identity theft occurs when somebody steals vital pieces of personal information, e.g. your social security, credit card numbers, etc. and uses that information for financial gains by taking your identity. The most common form of identity theft involves credit card and mortgage frauds. But it can also be used for vicious crimes like drug dealings, terrorism, etc.

You may be surprised to know that many minor identity thefts are committed by someone you know. So, don't make it an easy job for a person to steal your personal information from your wallet, checkbook, etc. Avoid leaving things containing your personal information lying around for others to have an easy access to that information.

Shred, shred, shred. Buy a cheap paper shredder from an office supply store and shred all your paid bills, used check books, etc. before tossing those into the trash. Put aside 30 minutes every Saturday morning for shredding anything that contained your personal information and you intend to trash. Make it a habit.

Never give out your personal information like your social security number; birth date etc. over the phone when the call you received is unsolicited. Your financial institutions have those information and they will not ask you for that. Sometimes, for verification purposes, they make ask you the last four digits of your social security number.

Don't pay to get anybody to get a copy of your credit report. Because of a congressional mandate, all three-credit report bureaus will give you a copy of your credit report for free every year. Go to AnnualCreditreport.com to obtain your free credit report every year from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. While obtaining your free credit report, these bureaus will push some paid services. Just ignore those.

Don't get your free credit reports from the three bureaus all at the same time. Then you have to wait one year before you can get your reports again for free. In the mean time, some unwanted stuff may show up in your report. Get your free report every four months from each bureau. If you are using a PDA, password protect it to prevent others from accessing it.

Phishing is a popular method to steal sensitive information for identity theft purposes. Don't be a phishing victim. Avoid clicking on any link that comes to your way through e-mails or IM. The e-mail will disguise itself coming from your financial institutions (your bank or PayPal accounts) and will urge you to click a link to verify your accounts or resort to such other tricks. Sometimes, it can be outright threatening. If you click the link you will end up in the thief's website. And if you enter your user name and password, the thief will have enough information to log into your actual account.

Open online accounts for all your credit cards and financial accounts. Online accounts are not only convenient for faster bill paying, paperless transactions, etc.; they also help monitor your accounts frequently, instead of waiting for the monthly bill or statement to arrive. Monitor your accounts online every week and if you see any suspicious charges, checks, etc., call you banks immediately. Also setup e-mail based account alerts, if available, to alert you when charges are made to your accounts.

If possible, avoid putting your outgoing mails containing bills and checks in your mailboxes for easy access by a thief. Drop them in mailboxes located in the post office or street corners. Better yet, setup online bill payment with your bank and avoid the snail mail for bill paying.

You also need to keep your computer safe. Thieves can get into computers through spyware and unsecured wireless or network connections. Use anti-spyware programs and turn on your Windows default personal firewall program. To prevent viruses infecting your computer, use an anti-virus program. Setup accounts for each user of your computer and ask them to use strong passwords that include a combination of letters and numbers.

Another way to prevent anybody, including you, from opening any credit in your name is to freeze your credit. This option is not available in all states. If it is available in your state and you opt for this option, you need to lift the block before you allow anybody, e.g. an employer for a new job, creditor for a car loan, etc., to access your credit information. Though it is almost like a foolproof system to prevent identity theft, it is the also the most inconvenient method.

Dr. Deepak Dutta is the creator of http://www.semanticbay.com - an interactive social network website based on user shared text and picture. His other website http://www.classifiedsforfree.com - is one of the oldest online classifieds site where users can post ads in more than 600 US cities and 60 countries.

Source: Submit Free Reprint Article 24/7 at 247Articles.com

George Lindemann Sr

One of the most distinguished residents of Palm Beach, Florida, is gas and media tycoon George Lindemann Sr., one of the richest men in the world according to Forbes. With a net worth estimated at $1.5 billion, George Lindemann and his family are currently ranked 512th in Forbes' list of The World's Richest People 2006.

George Lindemann, however, is more than just your usual wealthy man. On top of being a smart and able business executive and a consummate family man, he also happens to be wealthy in a lot of other aspects. A patron of the arts, an influential philantrophist, a defender of civil rights and an avid sportsman are just some of the adjectives that best describe George Lindemann, the billionaire.

Born in 1936 in New York City, Lindemann went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. This education was put to good use, which shows in the resounding success of the many diverse enterprises he has entered into through the course of his life.

In 1958, he joined the cosmetics and hair care products company of his father, which eventually diversified into pharmaceutical products. Dabbling in eye, ear, nose and throat product research, as well as early research on intraocular lenses, Lindemann is primarily responsible for the development and marketing of the first permanent-wear soft contact lens, Permalens. This is where his fortunes began to rise and eventually make him one of the wealthiest men in the world

After selling his contact lens business to Cooper Labs for $60 million in 1971, Lindemann went on to become president of Vision Cable Communications, a pioneer in the cable television industry with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana operations. From there, he became the president and CEO of Metro Mobile Communications, Inc., the second largest SMR (specialized mobile radio) dispatch company in the United States. Eventually, he sold the Metro Mobile cell service to Bell Atlantic for $2.6 billion in 1992.

At present, George Lindemann is the chairman of the board, president and CEO of Southern Union Company, which ranks as the second largest natural gas pipeline company in the United States. He has been the chairman and CEO of the company since 1990, while his position as president didn't come until his appointment in November 2005. Lindemann and his family own about 10% of Southern Union. His family also currently holds a large stake in Verizon Communications. In addition to all this, he owns 19 Spanish-language radio stations.

An active supporter of the arts, George Lindemann sits on the board of the New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as that of the Metropolitan Club in New York City. He is also on the board of directors of the International Class A Yacht Association, Perto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy. Ever the avid sportsman, Lindemann also happens to be the proud owner of the 180-foot schooner named Adela that took the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2005 at Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy.

For more info on George Lindemann Sr., visit author Neil Crespi at http://www.myspace.com/neil_crespi. Frequently updated, his site contains more important details about billionaire George Lindemann Sr.

Source: Submit Free Reprint Article 24/7 at 247Articles.com

Advice on how to choose a San Diego divorce lawyer

Date: Sunday, May 14 @ 09:49:23 HKT
Topic: Legal Matters

A divorce is a painful and stressing event in some couples’ lives that usually leaves emotional scars and reveals old and forgotten problems within the family. When undergoing a divorce, choosing the right San Diego divorce lawyer can massively improve your chances of wining the trial.

The first thing you must do when choosing a San Diego divorce lawyer is to look at the lawyer’s experience and past court time, the fee that he charges and the type of divorce he specializes in. Always rely on your San Diego divorce lawyer to provide you with the necessary information about the procedures involved in a divorce, never trust outside sources or publications, choosing a San Diego divorce lawyer that you can trust is one of the most important decisions you will make during a divorce. Before making this important decision it is crucial that you inform yourself about the divorce rates in the state, seek different law offices and ask around about the best San Diego divorce lawyer that exists, taking the financial factor into consideration. Be advised that a good San Diego divorce lawyer is difficult to find and most of them are already involved in ongoing cases. Try to find people that went trough a divorce and ask information about the best divorce lawyers, the best fees and all of the appropriate criteria. When possible go to the San Diego divorce lawyer’s office and ask around, seek client testimonials, ask about past trials, the win/loose ratio, the availability of the San Diego divorce lawyer and the fees. It is better to find out about the San Diego divorce lawyer on the spot, at his office, from the people you can trust rather than believing rumors. Request a client list whenever possible and talk to these people to find out the MO of the San Diego divorce lawyer, the medium length of the trials and how do things usually unfold in a divorce. Sign up for a consultation with each San Diego divorce lawyer that is worthy.

Keep in mind when choosing a San Diego divorce lawyer that there are a lot of hidden sides and factors too. During divorce, communication between you and the San Diego divorce lawyer must be done smoothly, so try to find out if the lawyer is prompt and responds to phone calls or e-mails quickly. A San Diego divorce lawyer that is hard to contact over the phone or by any other means must be avoided because undergoing divorce with this kind of person is lengthy and painful for both sides.

Take your time and ask the lawyer about your case, procedures, fees, length of the process and so on, do this with multiple persons and then choose your desired trustworthy San Diego divorce lawyer. Ask about all the things discussed above, take your time and don’t rush. If the San Diego divorce lawyer is a single practitioner and he is not involved with other lawyers then you must remember that communication with him might be slow because he has to work with multiple clients at the same time. Also, you should make some online research about these San Diego divorce lawyers. You will find a multitude of reviews and personal websites that will again help you choose the right person for you. Remember that, as a last alternative, there are online divorce forms that you can complete and they take a lot of the San Diego divorce lawyer’s work off their shoulders, but these are always very cloudy and generic and don’t apply to every case. If possible, fill in these forms with a professional next to you and don’t rely on the forms for a successful case. Use them as a general guideline.

Depending on the case, you might have children or property to split with your former spouse and this is another reason why you should research the best San Diego divorce lawyer out there. Splitting property, being divided amongst parties, is risky business and the San Diego divorce lawyer must know how to deal with this kind of problem.

After you have taken all these steps into consideration and you are confident about the expertise of your San Diego divorce lawyer, be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster that isn’t avoidable by any means - the stress of a divorce.



Resource box:
Advice during divorce is always needed, but the best information you can get to win a case comes from the San Diego divorce lawyer .

Why You Need a Home Loan Countrywide Loan

Date: Friday, April 01 @ 02:44:09 HKT
Topic: Legal Matters

Why You Need a Home Loan Countrywide Loan

by: Mike Yeager

From a small office in 1969, home loan countrywide has achieved recognition among consumers and investors as one of America's leading home finance companies. Evidence of growth and industry leadership is home loan countrywide's inclusion in the S&P 500, Forbes 500 and Fortune 500. Home loan countrywide began with a vision - to make the dream of homeownership accessible to everyone. Over the years, the company has grown, as have the ways in which they serve their customers. They have leveraged their skills in mortgage banking into diversified businesses that work together to provide customers with a complete range of financial services under one roof. Their diversification includes capital markets, insurance and a recent expansion into banking services with Countrywide Bank. In addition, home loan countrywide is also bringing a brand of financial services and customer satisfaction to the United Kingdom. Home loan countrywide is involved in the development of world-class proprietary financial systems has provided them with a sizable competitive edge and given them a front-runner position in penetrating financial services markets both domestically and internationally.

Community Involvement.

Home loan countrywide was founded on the belief that homeownership should be a goal that's attainable by everyone. National Emerging Markets/House America, established in 1992, is their affordable and fair lending program. The program provides educational outreach to low- and moderate-income and minority communities, access to down payment assistance programs, has House America branches located in historically underserved communities, as well as no-cost telephone counseling for prospective home buyers through home loan Countrywide's House America Counseling Center. Today, they've defined aggressive goals to help more underserved Americans purchase homes.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/

Lawsuit Loans

Date: Friday, April 01 @ 02:44:09 HKT
Topic: Legal Matters

Lawsuit Loans

by: Wensley McKenney

Lawsuit Loans which are also known as pre settlement cash advances allow a financially strapped plaintiff to access a portion of their future legal settlement to pay today's necessary living expenses. Personal Injury and worker compensation lawsuits can take years to resolve and large insurance companies have the financial strength to legally delay the process which can financial ruin an injured claimant who is looking for a fair settlement offer.

Companies like Global Financial (http://www.glofin.com) offer cash advances against all types of Personal Injury & Worker Compensation claims. It works like this: Global Financial will review the merits of an applicant’s legal claim and determine the chance & size of a financial recovery. They then offer the claimant a small percentage of the total value of their claim in return for an assignment of a portion of the potential future proceeds in the claim. If there is no financial recovery from the claim then the funding company receives nothing. This makes lawsuit loans very risky and actually a venture capital investment rather than an actual loan as the names suggests.

The fees charge by lawsuit loan companies can vary dramatically but it is usually best to stick with the larger companies, like Global Financial (http://www.glofin.com) because they work on larger volumes and lower pricing. Usually a funding company will charge either a monthly fee or a flat fee depending on the risk associate with the claim.

It is my personal opinion that a claimant should ask themselves one question before applying for a cash advance against their pending claim. Will the advance that I receive pay immediate and necessary living expense? If the answer is yes then you should accept a cash advance and continue with your legal claim. If the answer is no then it might be wise to hold off and wait before applying for a lawsuit loan or cash advance against your pending claim. In addition, a lawsuit loan may be a very important tool when the defendant's insurance carrier decides to make a low ball offer for settlement in the claim. You can then use a lawsuit loan as a financial tool to say no to the low ball offer and have the financial strength to wait for a higher and fairer settlement.

Lawsuit Loans have been trademarked by Global Financial as "Lawsuit Insurance" because they offer insurance like protection to plaintiffs in the event that their claim is unsuccessful. If a plaintiff takes a cash advance against their pending legal claim and their claim is unsuccessful then they get to keep the money that was advanced to them. Thus the cash advance guarantees that their claim will be financially successful either by way of the cash advance or by way of settlement or judgment.

About The Author

Wensley McKenney is a graduate of Tulane University and has 15 years of experience in the financial and legal fields.

Lawsuit Insurance is a trademark of Global Financial Credit, LLC, http://www.glofin.com

wensley@glofin.com

A College Loan Will Finance Your Education!

Date: Friday, April 01 @ 02:44:09 HKT
Topic: Legal Matters

A College Loan Will Finance Your Education!

by: Mike Yeager

A college loan has given people all over the United States a chance to further their education, even if they are not making a lot of money. Education loans can be a big help in paying for college. You'll find these loans offer a low interest rate and a generous repayment period. Of course, student loans must be repaid, usually with interest, although some education loans have provisions for cancellation if the borrower performs a program-related service. If you are looking for a loan, be aware that there are many different types of loans. Try to find the student loan that fits you the best. For example, there is a loan called the Federal Stafford Loan. The Federal Stafford Loan is the most widely used loan in the student education loan program. Federal guidelines limit the maximum interest rate to no more than 8.25% and outline repayment terms of up to 10 years. Remember that if you ever need help or are falling behind on payments, consider a consolidate student loan.

Tips on getting a deferment for your College Loan.

If for some reason you are unable to meet your monthly payments, consider a college loan deferment. A deferment is a suspension of payments for special reasons. Usually, those who borrowed their first Stafford Loans after July 1, 1993, are eligible to defer payments if are enrolled in at least half-time at an eligible school, unemployed, in a graduate fellowship program, in a rehabilitation training program for people with disabilities, or suffering economic hardship. A college education is expensive, but with the right student loan you will be attending class without financial worry in no time!

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/

Overwhelmed By Student Loan Debt? Consider a Consolidate Student Loan

Date: Friday, April 01 @ 02:44:09 HKT
Topic: Legal Matters

Overwhelmed By Student Loan Debt? Consider a Consolidate Student Loan

by: Mike Yeager

A consolidate student loan is the perfect solution for people who need help managing their debt. If you have several different loan payments but want to make only one payment per month, you should apply for a Federal Consolidation Loan. With loan consolidation, your lender will combine your present loans into one single loan. If you do decide to get a consolidate student loan, you will pay interest on a fixed rate. The rate is determined by the average of your loans, and is averaged up to the nearest .125 percent. If you make direct loan electronic payments, you may get a lower interest rate. As student loan debt is usually not the largest debt a person has, it may make sense to include it in a consolidate student loan.

Tips on repaying your Consolidate Student Loan

Most people use student loan consolidation as a way to manage debts. Most often, a consolidate student loan will save money. Be aware that although a consolidate loan reduces monthly payments, it will likely raise the interest amount. Because of this, it is a good idea to try to pay off as much of your consolidate student loan as soon as possible. Do this by trying to increase your monthly payments. Be aware that there are certain deferment programs available. For example, unemployment or economic hardship may cause the consolidate student loan to be reduced.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/