Introduction
There are many Illinois law firms that handle a variety of cases for their clients. It's important to find out as much information as possible about Illinois attorney law firms before selecting one to use.
Step 1
There are over 30 areas of law including: family law, criminal law, corporate law, personal injury law and real estate law. The types of Illinois attorney law firms designed to coverage all these areas are both general and specific specialty attorneys. A general Illinois attorney law firm can choose to coverage almost all of the 30 areas of law. A specific specialty law firm is the opposite and concentrates on one or up to a few areas of law.
Step 2
Illinois attorney law firm duties will vary depending on the case. Some of their duties include: court representation (also known as litigation), hearing attendance, settlement offer preparation, witness statement acquisition and negotiations. They also advise their clients of the best options for their cases because not all cases go to trial.
Step 3
Illinois attorney law firm staffing will depend on the size of the firm and the case load. In addition to attorneys, most Illinois attorney law firms will have paralegals and administrative staff. Almost all Illinois attorney law firms have paralegals to handle the research for their cases. Most Illinois attorney law firms will have administrative staffs which include: secretaries, runners and assistants to handle all administrative office work. Some law firms also have investigators for certain cases like family law and personal injury law. The staffing for a general law practice is normally larger than a specific specialty law practice because they handle more areas of law.
Step 4
Illinois attorney law firm fee amounts are usually determined by their years in practice and the type of case. They will either charge by the hour or a flat fee. Some Illinois attorney law firms will accept payments. Their fee includes work done on the case and trial representation, if necessary. A retainer fee which can be the total amount or a deposit is collected before they begin working on a case. Illinois attorney law firms draw up an agreement detailing the fee and representation they will provide their clients.
Step 5
The right to a public defender has been guaranteed by the federal government since 1963. In that year, the court case Gideon vs. Wainwright established that nobody should have to defend themselves against an attorney unless they desire to. The public defenders office represents those who cannot afford to hire an Illinois attorney.
The average caseload of a public defender is usually much higher than that of an average Illinois attorney. Also, the pay can be much lower because it is a government position. In fact, according to an Associated Press article in 2007, the office of public defender is getting harder to fill because of the high case load coupled with the low pay.
Tips and comments
An Illinois attorney for a county is an essential part of the American judicial system. County attorneys, most often referred to as public defenders, serve at no charge and help those who cannot afford the service of a lawyer. The office of public defender has a rich history and has an important function in Illinois attorney law.
