Find lawyers in San Marcos, CA

Q: How much does a lawyer cost?

A lawyer costs $150 to $400 per hour , depending on their location, field, and experience level. Some lawyers charge a $500 to $5,000 retainer fee, which is essentially a down payment based on their hourly rate. Other lawyers charge a flat fee for basic services, including: Filing for bankruptcy Immigration cases Trademarks or patents Writing a prenup An uncontested divorce without a custody arrangement

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Find lawyers in San Marcos, CA

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Top 10 lawyers in San Marcos, CA

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Your lawyer questions, answered

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thervo.

How much does a lawyer cost?

A lawyer costs $150 to $400 per hour, depending on their location, field, and experience level. Some lawyers charge a $500 to $5,000 retainer fee, which is essentially a down payment based on their hourly rate. Other lawyers charge a flat fee for basic services, including:

Filing for bankruptcy
Immigration cases
Trademarks or patents
Writing a prenup
An uncontested divorce without a custody arrangement

What does a lawyer do?

A lawyer gives legal advice and completes paperwork on behalf of clients. Lawyers who have passed the bar exam can represent their clients in court and advocate on their behalf. These services save their clients the time and stress it would take to complete legal work on their own.

Specific responsibilities of a lawyer include:

Advising clients
Organizing and filing paperwork
Conducting relevant research
Negotiating settlements
Communicating with clients, witnesses, and colleagues

Does it cost money to ask a lawyer a question?

Most lawyers offer free consultations before taking on your case. This allows you to ask questions and helps them decide how long the case might take and whether you're likely to win. However, once you hire a lawyer, you will be billed for phone calls, questions, and emails.

What education is needed to become a lawyer?

A person must get a bachelor's degree and a juris doctor degree (J.D.) from an accredited law school to become a lawyer. Law school takes 3 years, or 7 years including a bachelor's degree. They must also pass the bar exam in order to represent clients in court.

What's the difference between a lawyer and an attorney?

The terms "lawyer" and "attorney" are usually used interchangeably, but they are technically different. A lawyer is someone who graduated from law school and can give legal advice but may or may not have passed the bar exam.

An attorney is a person who passed the bar exam and is now qualified to represent clients in court. All attorneys are lawyers, but not all lawyers are attorneys.

How to I choose a lawyer?

When choosing a lawyer near you, follow these steps:

Decide which type of lawyer you need for your case.
Compare reviews from lawyers on Thervo and Google.
Get 3+ estimates from lawyers near you.
Verify their credentials and whether they've passed the bar exam.
Choose a lawyer who fits your budget and makes you feel comfortable.
Choose a lawyer that's conveniently located if possible.
Get an estimate and contract in writing before any casework begins.

What questions should I ask lawyers?

Ask the following questions to find the best lawyer possible:

How long have you been practicing law?
When did you pass the bar?
Do you give free consultations to potential clients?
Are you able to take on my case now?
What are your rates? Do you charge by the hour or have a retainer fee?
How many cases like mine have you won?
Will you give me a written estimate and contract?

Reviews for San Marcos lawyers

Recent success stories from people in the San Marcos area.

Wesley S.

Joe provides me with tax and accounting services specific to my needs. I am self-employed. After years working together, we have become friends. He's a great guy and easy to work with. I would highly recommend them.

Eagle Tax Res, Inc - Tax Resolution Services

Martha Catalina H.

Honest, reliable, reasonable and extremely professional.

Sánchez Siqueiros Law

Ruel M.

Effective, timely and pleasant

Katje Law Group, APC

Ed B.

Shawn and his staff are very professional, courteous, responsive, helpful, patient, and personable. Any time I had any questions, needed assistance with docs, or needed to understand the process they were there to help right away. I would highly recommend Doan Law Office Escondido to any of my friends or family who might need professional representation with their own financial difficulties. Thank you Shawn, Mona, and Veronica you made this a very easy process.

Doan Law Office

Ben L.

I've been shopping around and most people I talk to are charging an arm and a leg. They also talk about money before they ask me about my situation and what I need. It's quite rare at Benari and Nguyen they actually care and advise on what would be best for your situation. It's hard to find people out there actually trying take time to consult with you on what will be best for you, not how they can make they can make the most money off of you. Also, very affordable prices. I highly recommend my attorney Chris. He's been great with all my BK needs and happy to answer questions.

Law Office of Chris T. Nguyen, APC

Jessica S.

We hired Charity to work on our case. She was affordable for us and helped us when we needed. She made sure everything was done right. We talked to her on the phone and did emails. She always responded in a timely manner. Our case got approved from USCIS and NVC. Now we are waiting for the interview. Thanks Charity!