Court representation: how to choose a lawyer by fees and experience
First, what kind of case is it
Civil, commercial and administrative cases are handled differently, and a lawyer who knows debt recovery well is not necessarily strong in a dispute with a government body. So in your request it is best to name the type of case and its subject at once: recovery of a debt, an employment dispute, a contract dispute, a challenge to a decision of a public authority.
On BlaBlaPrice you don't phone law firms. You describe the case once, and lawyers reply with offers in the chat: the scope of work, the fee, the terms. It is free for the customer.
What to include in your request
- Type of case — civil, commercial, administrative, and the subject of the dispute.
- Your role — plaintiff, defendant or a third party.
- Amount claimed — the fee and the court fee often depend on it.
- Stage — before going to court, first hearing, appeal, enforcement of the judgment.
- Scope of help — full representation, only drafting the plaint or the reply, one hearing, execution proceedings.
- Court and city — for example, the commercial court in a particular city.
- Deadlines — the hearing date, the deadline for filing documents.
- Experience — specialisation, practice in similar cases.
- Budget and payment structure — a fixed sum, an hourly rate or a share of the amount recovered.
Example request
“Commercial court in Wellington. I am the plaintiff in a case to recover a debt under a supply contract, the amount is $15,000. I have the written evidence and have already sent a legal notice. I need the plaint drafted and the case handled. Hearing on 12 November, budget up to $850 or a share of the amount.”
How to compare fees
Payment structures differ, and you can't compare them head on. A fixed fee is convenient because you know the sum in advance. Hourly pay works well in short cases, and a share of the amount motivates the lawyer but can be expensive for a large sum. Ask:
- what the fee covers: all hearings or only a certain number, an appeal, travel to another city;
- whether the court fee and the cost of experts are paid separately;
- how the lawyer will report on the progress of the case;
- whether the lawyer has experience of similar cases in this particular court.
The platform shows the best offer by content first, with reviews next to each one. Advocates see where their offer stands and can improve their terms to win your request. Contacts are opened only to the one you choose. More on the “How it works” page.
What to avoid
Don't choose purely on the lowest price: if a lawyer agrees to everything and doesn't ask about documents, that is a warning sign. Don't expect guarantees of winning, because no honest lawyer gives them. And don't put off going to court, because limitation periods and procedural deadlines apply to court action.
Criminal cases need a different specialist, see criminal defence. For business documents, legal support will help, and general questions are in the section “Legal help”.
