When I first emigrated to the USA I was amused to see signs everywhere on public buildings saying "No Solicitors." For in America a solicitor is someone who goes door to door asking for donations, either to themselves or to their chosen charity. As such, a solicitor is someone who is looked down upon, to be avoided at all costs, whereas in the United Kingdom........ah, yes, perhaps not so different! (Only joking!)
No, in the British Isles a Solicitor is a well educated and thoroughly trained lawyer to whom you go when you are buying or selling a house, or wishing to get a divorce or pursue a debt, a lawyer who advises, and prepares for court proceedings but who does not actually act for you in court, that service being provide by a barrister. I know there are MUCH better definitions of the term 'Solicitor' online, but for these purposes that will suffice.
Like all professions, there are good Solicitors and not so good ones. Efficient and modern law firms, and old-fashioned, out of touch ones. In my banking days in the U.K. I came across many of each type, so I would give business to those who I found to be efficient, friendly and in touch with the modern world. In truth, most legal firms nowadays ARE.
My original intention with this site was to list all the legal firms in and close to the beautiful city of Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom. but time got away from me and rather than leave the site undeveloped, I will be happy to sell it to any local firm who wishes to have this site so that anyone who enters the search term "Rochester Solicitors" will find THEIR company.
For now, there are various articles on solicitors, their services, and all legal matters, with words and videos of Rochester.
Top Ten Services Where You Need Solicitors
By John Schofield
Some people may seek the help of solicitors when they move house. This is ordinarily why solicitors are searched for. This is also the reason why most of us are not very much aware of how solicitors can help us. If you have not experienced dealing with any them, here are the top ten instances wherein one would need their services:
1.Divorce. Since divorce is common in America, there are stepchildren and step parents, children whose parents got divorced or separated or children who might be living with a single parent. These are all children who have parents with problematic cases because of the separation. Family solicitors can make life easier for parents and children to use the law as their basis for children’s access and how they will know their rights after the divorce.
2.Abusive relationships. If ever you are in a very conflicting relationship or your spouse gets violent or abusive, then it is time to seek help from the solicitor. They will give you legal advice and even help you in finding a place to stay. Again, a family solicitor can provide you the information you need for your protection so that you will have confidence that you will be safe and be given the chance to rebuild your life.
3.Making of last will. Some old people are anxious that after they die, their wealth can fall into the wrong hands and not to their families. Solicitors can help you make your last will just the way you want it. You can get it written and verified by the appropriate agency and your solicitor will give you peace of mind.
4.Tax. If you want to minimize or reduce the amount of inheritance tax so that your family will not bear the financial burden, tax solicitors can help you make the most of your assets and will assure you that your wealth will not land on any government agency but instead only to your family.
5.Moving Out/In. Some people move a lot but they lack time to conduct surveys and discover the many services the new community can provide. Solicitors can help you find out all about the things you must know in your new area and will guide you on the community’s laws.
6. Employment. If you are an employer and want to make sure that your staff is not doing anything that could hurt you, your company, or your business, an employment solicitor can help you ensure that policies and guidelines you place in your company are all followed.
7.Business. When needing help with corporate law issues such as wanting to buy out a company or having an issue with another company, solicitors can also help you solve these problem. They know better on corporate laws.
8.Starting Up. Starting a business is also a bit scary so if you have worries how you can legally charge your clients and have the right contracts for your business as well as getting the right insurance, corporate solicitors can also handle those issues for you.
9.Legal Aspects of Managing a Business. Since we are all not very familiar with laws especially about employment laws, contracts, and other areas, businessmen want contracts to be clean and legal especially when dealing with suppliers. It is in the capacity of the solicitors to help them in these issues. They will oversee that every business aspect is legal and appropriate.
10.Investments. Lastly, over the years, the construction sector has involved many industries in the trade so there came to be several companies getting involved with different construction projects. If you are an investor in this kind of business, you would surely need legal help with your investments, audits, dispute resolution, risk assessment, or procurement of things. In this case, you will need an experienced construction solicitor to give you sound advice.
Now that you know the most familiar functions of solicitors, in your case, think how they may be able to help you.
Conveyancing Solicitors - How To Choose By John Tighe
Good Conveyancing Solicitors are vital for a successful property transaction, but with so many to choose from how do you make the right choice?
The answer is to look for one that meets these 3 criteria:
1. They offer a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee
2. They give "Fixed Fee" quotes
3. They will "match any quote"
Let's look at these in a bit more detail to see why they're so important:
1. "No Completion No Fee"
This means if your sale falls through you don't pay a penny.
Mistakes or laziness by solicitors are a key reason for sales to fall through so safeguarding yourself is important.
A firm offering a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee doesn't get paid if the sale falls through. And law firms like to get paid, so this is a great incentive for them to do a good job!
Most firms of solicitors will never make this offer so what does it say about a one that does? It says that they are confident that they will do a good job and that the transaction will be successful. In other words, even though they can't guarantee the transaction will complete, they don't expect there to be any problems as a result of their legal work.
2. "Fixed Fee" Quotes
The next thing to look for is a firm that offers "Fixed Fee" quotes. In other words, however long your transaction takes you know how much you'll have to pay.
Legal costs can skyrocket very quickly - it doesn't take many letters at 50 pounds a time to add up - so it's vital to cap your costs.
As a bonus it also incentivises your conveyancing solicitors to get everything right quickly and first time, since if they drag things out they are costing themselves money. Since speed can often be vital in getting your sale or purchase through successfully this is a real advantage.
Make sure as well that your quote includes "disbursements". This is the term solicitors use to describe expenses such as search fees. On a conveyancing transaction they can add up to almost as much as the legal fees. Most are known in advance so make sure they are included in your quote.
3. They will "match any quote"
This way you'll get the best price you can. No need to worry about finding a better deal elsewhere once you're committed.
A "match any quote" guarantee plus a "Fixed Fee" quote are the best way to get a great deal. You cap your liability, while taking advantage of the best possible price.
Now not all firms of solicitors will offer these things up front. It is often the larger firms that have the confidence to do so. However, this doesn't stop you asking.
And what if you can't get all three? Well the most important thing is to make sure that you cap your costs, therefore, you should insist on a "Fixed Fee" quote. Next on your list should be a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee and finally a "match any quote" offer.
About the Author: We review the UK's leading Conveyancing Solicitors so you don't have to. To get a FREE, instant quote or for more info go to http://www.Conveyancing-Solicitors.info
