Lawyers in Nigeria undertake different forms of legal services and represent clients for various legal services. It is always a serious undertaking to еmрlоу аnоthеr individual to rерrеѕеnt ones intеrеѕt and rely on their judgment and expertise. Finding the right lawyers in Nigeria should be the goal of any entity looking for legal services. In Nigeria, lawyers may be hired for a one-off matter or on a retainership basis.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of experienced lawyers and law firms in Nigeria. The majority of the best lawyers in Nigeria are presumed to be located in large cities like Abuja and Lagos.

In finding an experienced lawyer to hire, the following considerations must be put in mind.

MАKING A LIST OF РRОЅРЕСTIVЕ LАWУЕRЅ:

In compiling a list, one must have regard to both online sources and referrals.

With a search on the internet, one can identify lаwуеrѕ who have a special interest and expertise in the particular issue relevant to him or her. Also, there are various online directories and social media platforms through where lawyers may be contacted.

In considering offline sources, one may look choose to ask family, friends, or business associates who might have probably engaged a lawyer for a similar service required.

CONTACT УОUR РRОЅРЕСTЅ:

Upon listing some prospects, one may choose to reach out to each lawyer or law firm individually to ask some specific questions. By doing this, someone may narrow the search to a single or multiple firms or lawyers. In contacting a list of prospective lawyers, it is disrespectful to simply send an email copying many lawyers or law firms at the same time. Most lawyers do not respond to this type of general inquiries.

After reaching out to the prospective lawyers and getting a response, one should have an idea of specific or type of lawyers to be hired. Before deciding on who to hire, some factors must be considered.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE HIRING A LAWYER

  • Gооd соmmuniсаtiоn: By interactions with a specific lawyer, one will find evidence of good communication skills or not. Some of the essential elements of good communication include listening, friendliness, clarity, and empathy. To hire any lawyer, he must demonstrate all or some of behaviours.
  • Experience and expertise: some legal services require unique knowledge or expertise. If you have issues that need particular expertise, it is vital to check whether the prospective lawyer or law firm has such expertise. The best way to discover this is to ask the lawyer in question whether he has personally handled similar matters or services or have a colleague he can refer you to. Moreover, most law firms usually list their areas of practice on their website, so you may visit the law firm's website to discover the types of legal services they offer.
  • Legal Fееѕ: legal services could be costly sometimes. Lawyers in Nigeria charge both hourly and fixed charges. Therefore, it is important to clarify or ask how a law firm charges before asking them to commence work. Where no specific fees agreed upon before commencement of legal service by a lawyer or law firm, the client might be billed on quantum meruit or scale of charges. For the sake of clarity, it is crucial to agree on a specific amount or method of charges before engaging a law firm or lawyers in Nigeria. If the law firm offers a fixed rate, one may opt for fixed-rate charges, as it is most cost-effective. However, the fixed rate may not apply to a multi-dynamic type of legal services.

ENGAGING A LAWYER OR LAW FIRM

  • After choosing a lawyer and one has briefed such a lawyer, it is essential to demand a quote or fee proposal. If the quote is acceptable, you may ask the firm or lawyer to provide a written engagement letter, which serves as a contractual agreement between a lawyer and a client.

In closing, the above tips must be considered before engaging or hiring a lawyer in Nigeria. It is noteworthy to state that where a prospective client is not sure whether a particular lawyer is fake or genuine, such a person may consult or check the website of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which is an umbrella and mandatory association for all lawyers in Nigeria. The names of all genuine and practicing lawyers in Nigeria are listed on the NBA website.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.