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Rhode Island Law Firms


There are 6,000 lawyers in Rhode Island law firms, so choosing the right lawyer for your legal needs requires prior research and good judgment on the part of the client.  It is important to not use advertising, testimonials and internet presence when evaluating the suitability of a law firm for your needs.  When searching for a Rhode Island law firm however, any methods necessary can be used to find a firm that you can consult with on your legal matter.  The Rhode Island Supreme Court regulates the practice of law in the state, so when searching for Rhode Island law firms, you have the benefit of strong oversight and carefully controlled codes of ethics and professionalism to ensure that all clients are treated fairly and have a level change of succeeding with their legal matters.

Choosing Rhode Island law firms for consultation

There should never be the element of obligation when you are determining which Rhode Island law firms to choose for consultation.  Use word of mouth, internet searches, this website and referral services to find Rhode Island law firms that could conceivably handle your legal matter.  There is no surefire way to find an appropriate law firm on your first try and you must commit to vetting the Rhode Island law firm properly, ensuring they have your needs in mind, before agreeing to further legal services. 

What to do with the initial consultation

When you first agree to meet with the Rhode Island law firm, you must be prepared to state your intention for seeing legal counsel, or at least state the circumstances related to the current situation.  Objectivity and honesty are critical at this juncture, as the Rhode Island law firm will need the clearest picture possible to help you determine an appropriate course of action.  After you have made your case and received an objective evaluation from the representative of the Rhode Island law firm, you may discuss fees and billings.  You will have a reasonable expectation of the length of your legal matter and have those expectations tempered through the advice and considerations of the Rhode Island law firm.  You should feel free to seek as many consultations with different law firms as you need and should not feel obligated to commit to any legal representative prematurely.

Standards to become a lawyer in Rhode Island

Thanks to the mandatory bar association membership model, the admission to the bar in Rhode Island is tightly controlled, which a typical bar exam supplemented with a multistate performance test, an ethics test and the ability to pass a background check.  None of these high standards should mean that all Rhode Island law firms are staffed by quality professionals, but it is a reasonable assumption that the majority of lawyers you will work with have been screened, will follow ethics rules and are adherent to the code of professional conduct.  You will be assured in the knowledge that you will have recourse too, through the state agencies that regulate the practice of law.

Fee disputes

Fee disputes typically arise from misunderstanding at the lack of a solid billing agreement.  In other instances, a misunderstanding of the billing agreement has led the client to be billed significantly more than anticipated.  This will generally be an issue in retainer accounts as well.  Fee disputes are not immediately considered fraud unless the fees are unexplained and cannot be accounted for.  In non-fraud fee disputes, the client and Rhode Island law firm are expected to resolve the dispute through mediation or legal action.  The state disciplinary authority will be involved in the misappropriation of client funds, which is a very serious disciplinary matter.

How does the Rhode Island Bar Association improve the practice of law in the state?

The RIBAR is a mandatory membership integrated bar that regulates the practice of law in the state with the cooperation of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.  Licensing will be carried out by the Supreme Court, but continuing legal education and admission to the bar requirements will be administers by the RIBAR.

Among services provided to the public, there is a fee dispute resolution system that helps facilitates resolution to disagreements of this nature between clients.  The decision of the Fee Arbitration Committee is final and binding if the two parties agree to settle the dispute in this manner.  There is also a lawyer assistance program to assist with issues of addiction, stress and other factors that might affect a professional practice.You can verify the membership of any lawyer you consider working with by consulting the Attorney Directory of the RIBAR.  At the moment, you may only search the directory by first or last name queries.Factors that will make you consider other legal representation.

Communication is important and the failure of a Rhode Island law firm to communicate with lawyers effectively compromises cases and will be a breach of professionalism.  Communication policy should also be noted when meeting with the Rhode Island law firm and determining fee arrangements.  If there are high fees for incoming phone calls and emails, you will reconsider asking questions or asking for updates on your legal matter.  This constitutes a barrier that will undermine your confidence in pursuing a legal remedy.  More serious communication issues include a failure to inform on key dates and paperwork, failing to return phone calls and ignoring the needs and requests of clients.  Poor communication is strong reason to find another Rhode Island law firm.

Fee agreements

There are two major fee agreements, the availability of which depends on the legal matter.  The contingency agreement provides a percentage of the jury award to the Rhode Island law firm as compensation for all legal services rendered, since the start of the legal relationship.  Other non-litigation issues will be billed according the fee arrangement, with respect to time and services rendered.  This may be accompanied by a retainer trust account, which will be billed according to the fee arrangement set between the client and lawyer.

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