Lawyers map
>4.0k
experienced lawyers
Filter by
17 Jan, 2023 by Mike
Jacob took my case and stated that it would be quick. Workers comp case. He dragged the case for over 3yrs. Acts like he is high class lawyer when he is more of an Avon sales man. Jacob kept postponing trail, in the end i ended up with nothing. Kept losing docs or asking me to get them; again. Better of defending yourself.
jacob luna lacks experience and should switch careers to car salesman would be better.
Read more
08 Jun, 2013 by Anonymous
To make a long story short, my ordeal 2 years ago was a nightmare experience with this Attorney. From the beginning he wanted me to take my case to trial. I knew very well that was not going to happen and I just wanted to get a plea deal and end this ordeal. He was very stubborn and kept pushing ,me to take it to trial. Off course, that would cost me a few thousand dollars more. What upset me the most was the fact that while I was waiting for my court date, he hardly had any communication whatsoever with me and kept telling me "don't worry, everything is going to be fine". On my first court appearance, the District Attorney offered a plea deal and MY Attorney declined it without my consent!! I was being offered 30 days plus restitution. I had no idea they had offered me a plea bargain until a few court dates later, when they went ahead and filed a whole bunch of other bogus charges and requested the Judge to incarcerate me. I was taken into custody and spent almost 6 months in jail! All this happened in a 1 year period. The most disgusting part about this Attorney is that he went to consult with me only ONCE while I was in custody. Once again, he wanted to push my case to trial, which he knew very well that there was no point in doing that. He even said he had "a friend that would buy my car (for a ridiculous low amount!) so I can have some money for my trial. Overall, in my opinion he is very inexperienced in certain cases and thinks he can handle them, when common sense would have told him not to take a case he had no experience with! Dealing with him was a much more worse experience than the time I spent incarcerated.
Read more
16 Nov, 2023 by Sear sucker
Richard Sharpe filed a forged trust document with the court in an attempt to steal an entire estate while representing a client that was never in the will/trust.
Richard Sharpe, by filing one fraudulent claim after another. caused the probate of my family's estate to take over 4 years costing thousands of dollars in unnecessary legal fees.
Richard Sharpe abused the discovery process and made a mockery of the court system repeatedly filing late and incomplete responses with the court for which he was fined and sanctioned by the court.
Richard Sharpe has a pending investigation by the California Bar Association.
Read more
22 Oct, 2022 by Janet osborne
Horrible experience.
Read more
04 May, 2021 by Ac k
26 Oct, 2012 by Anonymous
Said not to call and send email instead. Answered my email with "I'll get back to you" 3 weeks and 5 emails later, no response.
Read more
28 Sep, 2010 by George
difficulty to contact to person who handling your account, wasting time to me.
Read more
19 Jun, 2013 by Anonymous
She was assigned to our department to be our legal counsel. I worked with her, but found it problematic that she did not know or quickly pick up basics that our prior counsel knew. She got a new supervisor who realized the same things we as the client knew and she was dismissed.
Read more
12 Apr, 2014 by Anonymous
pacheco was court appointed. he had no time to discuss my case. made me feel like i was a bother and inconvenience to his other case he was handling down the hall in another court room. felt pressured to resolve case same day without even hearing my side. prior public defender was only a temp but was very positive that i had a defense. for some reason there was a conflict of interest declared and an alternate was assigned and that was pacheco.
Read more
06 Feb, 2018 by Dr. lillian glass
I hired VIncent Chieffo as my attorney for close to a year. He charged me over $100,000 and then informed me I didn't have a copyright infringement case against a publishing company where their author did word for word copying of my best selling book. He also strongly insisted I drop all claims against the publisher and insisted I sign an agreement to that regard. After hiring another lawyer, it turned out I not only had a case, but my new lawyer WON my case in US FEDERAL COURT against the author since I was prohibited to sue the publishing company because of Mr. Chieffo's poor legal counsel that I sign the agreement in their favor. Mr. Chieffo also let me know that he became good friends with the publishing company's attorney and they agreed to meet with one another socially whenever he was in NY, thereby confirming to me that he most likely had the oppositions legal interests over mine. I will also add that Mr. Cheffo spend a great deal of time talking about his personal life with me discussing his daughter's upcoming wedding, his wife, and his numerous trips to Morocco for which time I was charged that had nothing to do with me or my case. He also charged me for inviting me as a guest to a charity function honoring women journalists. My experience with Mr. Chieffo was extremely negative and i would never refer this attorney to anyone. It was my experience that he did not have my best interest at heart or represent me well and favored the opposition and charged and exorbitant fee only to tell me after he received six figures close a year later that I had no case which was unprofessional in my view and also telling me I had no case when I did and won my case in US Federal Court( but for a limited fee) His is poor legal advice resulted in my not being able to sue the publisher even though they, as well as the author were in the wrong. I would NEVER recommend this attorney to anyone.
Read more
29 Mar, 2012 by Kristie
I found this attorney to be lacking in his listening skills. I asked him direct questions, and instead of him answering my questions, he asked me questions and did not answer my origional at all. I felt that he spoke down to me, interuped me, and did not help or guide me at all. Very unhappy with this experience in this first contact. I will not call him back nor with I refer him.
Read more
10 Apr, 2017 by Felicia
How do you write a wrong? By doing what's rightt. Ivy Holden is a dear friend and client of this lawyer He has scheduled hearing that she and her husband had to fly from LA where they reside and did not show up nor have the professional courtesy to notify her, booked flights, hotel states, etc. Donald Fraulov falsely assured Ivy for years he would get a fair settlement., knowing that a check had been issued by Workers compensation 20 years ago??? ivy has 9 surgically implanted screw in her back and has advanced in age. been strung along for more than 20 years. I'm speaking about this because this lawyer told her Worker's Comp. sent her a check for $38,000 in 1997 to the address that I currently live in and have been since 1993. Ivy has never received such a check nor have I she asked this attorney to produce a copy of the check showing where it had been cashed and by whom. He did not do so he told her her case was selling for $1000 and that was the best he could do he was taking 25% of it and he was retiring in a month. From April 4, 2017. He told her in addition to the 1000 settlement amount she was entitled to a mileage check only if she could get all of her information in by the end of April . This lady worked paid her dues paid her insurance fees and was seekink what she believed was the Best in Legal representation. Yet, something is very wrong I personally believe it's not too late to right this wrong . there are numerous unanswered questions that her Worker Comp Adjuater should answer. But they cannot and will not talk to her as long as she has an attorney . This is just wrong. There is still time to correct this.
Read more
15 Feb, 2018 by Ben a
Horribly slow
Read more
15 Feb, 2018 by Ben a
Horribly slow
Read more
28 Jul, 2023 by Brett kestenbaum
I worked with this firm on a small project. I confirmed the project, and made sure to re-confirm the cost of a project and capture it in an email. When the bill came, it was essentially double. I spoke to them about it, and instead of taking responsibility for their error, they simply tried to negotiate with me over what I would pay, even though our arrangement was clearly laid out in an email.
For a firm that has very high bill rates, this is certainly not the way I would have hoped they would conduct business.
Read more
28 Sep, 2023 by Anonymous
Highly not recommended, at least 10,000$ retainer and of course it’s gone before we even start the case
- Hourly rate 500$ !!!!!
- Very very bad communication that lead to waste a lot of money , unnecessary long calls with no outcomes
-I had a minor case with CA BOP , of course he have to make it sound huge to make as much money as possible , he promised with high expectation and end up with the worst
-After my case was closed
- His plan was to force me to accept an agreement that I’d never expected , after closing all other doors for negotiations
-After my case was close I found out later on a lot of misinformation and false statements were provided to the general attorney including my statement status and family relationship with previous employer ( owner and pic ) that led to worsen the case
-Way over charges, I tried to hired other attorneys but most of them were represent the opponent party and there were conflict of interest
Read more
16 Oct, 2012 by Amber
Worst Experiencd EVER! Rather than tell me they don't handle enough of my cases to help-they eluded that I just didn't have a case. He vaguely answered my questions and concerns. I was pretty much told to do all their work for them before they could represent me and take a cut. I've since found another lawyer that is more informative and knowledgable. They did not have the skills or resources for my situation.
Read more
30 Oct, 2019 by Chris
I recently had a very unpleasnt interaction with Lynne Bolduc. I was refered by my current attorney to her. After a two short calls and email exchanges it appeared to me the advice I was being given was inaccurate according to the statute she provided me. When I questioned her about this she claimed I was harassing her and that she would block me on email. I felt horrible and couldnt umderstand why she would respond that way. I shared this with my attorney who referred me to her and they apologized to me for her unprofessional behavior. They also couldnt see any grounds for her responding that way. In retrospect I believe that with all Lynnes experience she has not learned how to be humble and admit when she has given inaccurate advice. She would rather "act a fool" and "slightly on the crazy side" than own up to a mistake. In my opinion she "lost it" when I brought forward discrepancies in the advice she gave to the statute she shared with me to support her advice. I would look elsewhere for an attorney.
Read more
19 May, 2017 by Anonymous
Kate and Mr. Fackler were argumentative, aggressive, and gave legal guidance that resulted in a sanction by the court! When we attempted to address the issue with them, they abruptly resigned without warning, injuring our case further.
Read more
04 Oct, 2023 by Anonymous
She isn’t a consumer protection lawyer anymore. She is a state emloyee whose sole job is to fire workers. She acts super nice like she’s helping, really she’s a sleazy sellout.
Read more
15 Oct, 2021 by Rollin
We hired him to represent us in a dispute over a school loan and ever since covid started we have nothing from his law firm Beling &Associates on how things are going or even if he is representing us yet his web sight and phone number for his company are disconnected I feel like he has Abandoned me I just wish he could be professional and contact me either by phone or email
Read more
02 Sep, 2019 by Jerry
She seemed to not believe a thing I told her confidentually. She to this day has yet to return any contact attempts I have made. A deaf ear was used in this horrible ordeal and the County Staff has not made any attempt to contact me concerning her reaction to ignoring her client(s) are multiple occasions. I found it her lack of intimate nuture skills that Obstructed Justice in my Case #6LGO6447. I welcome(d) her to respond in my favor, as her actions are out of character from her position. The court system should have provided for us. A total failure.
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
06 Sep, 2017 by Yvette takashima
Divorce is always a difficult experience and having the proper attorney to help you navigate the court system is a must. Months after my last court date I hadn't yet received a final judgement draft so I send the attorney an email inquiring about it. After numerous emails back and forth one of his responses to me was, "You are divorced, its just paperwork." I disagreed with him stating I didn't have any county recorded paperwork. He then replied, "The paperwork doesn't matter." I continued to request that the final judgement and paperwork be sent for the Judge's approval and County recording immediately. His final email to me was, "The paperwork's done. I hope you are happy now."
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
12 Aug, 2020 by Andrea wood
22 Aug, 2023 by Kreyer family trust
This man is a horrible lawyer, as far as I’m concerned he is a criminal, and a bully - he billed my family over $80,000 and didn’t fight to present crucial evidence when it came down to the wire..
He is a liar, a megalomaniac, a horrible person, and I would absolutely NOT recommend him unless your willing to waste tens of thousands of dollars to listen to him lecture and insult you while telling you crucial evidence is worthless. He abandoned me twice during hearings he promised to appear for, as he said he would not leave me out to dry - yet abandoned me day of the trials/hearings and I lost horribly due to his malpractice and misrepresentation of his skill set
I went in on my own for trial and was ten times more effective than he was in all three years of his representation combined!
I will gladly share more information with anyone considering hiring Wallace. Unlike him, I’m not scared to present it. He has threatened to sue me for defamation when he knows he’s failed me as an attorney - the only thing he did well was a deposition - which Yorker a ton of evidence he never presented.
This man is a joke and a hot head - do not waste your money or energy depending on him to do the honest Abe ethical thing.
Feel free to message me for further detail and evidence.
I’m reporting him to the bar and trying to recover the money wasted on this man’s ego.
Read more
Browse lawyers
Cities in California - Find a Lawyer Near Me
-
Los Angeles
-
San Francisco
-
San Diego
-
Sacramento
-
Irvine
-
Oakland
-
San Jose
-
Beverly Hills
-
Newport Beach
-
Palo Alto
-
Pasadena
-
Santa Monica
-
Santa Ana
-
Fresno
-
Walnut Creek
-
Long Beach
-
Glendale
-
Encino
-
Woodland Hills
-
Costa Mesa
-
Riverside
-
Redwood City
-
Santa Rosa
-
Menlo Park
-
Santa Barbara
-
Sherman Oaks
-
Orange
-
Torrance
-
Berkeley
-
Westlake Village
-
Burbank
-
Mountain View
-
Carlsbad
-
San Rafael
-
Bakersfield
-
San Mateo
-
Ventura
-
El Segundo
-
Roseville
-
Santa Clara
-
Calabasas
-
Tustin
-
Culver City
-
Stockton
-
La Jolla
-
Huntington Beach
-
Modesto
-
Pleasanton
-
Manhattan Beach
-
Anaheim
-
San Luis Obispo
-
Santa Cruz
-
Van Nuys
-
Sunnyvale
-
Burlingame
-
Fullerton
-
San Ramon
-
Rancho Cucamonga
-
Ontario
-
Salinas
-
San Bernardino
-
Encinitas
-
Napa
-
Monterey
-
Cupertino
-
Fremont
-
Thousand Oaks
-
West Hollywood
-
Los Gatos
-
Redding
-
Redondo Beach
-
Alameda
-
Monterey Park
-
Palm Desert
-
Cerritos
-
Folsom
-
Agoura Hills
-
Chico
-
Visalia
-
Mission Viejo
-
Marina Del Rey
-
Temecula
-
Oxnard
-
Aliso Viejo
-
Laguna Hills
-
Davis
-
Brea
-
Chula Vista
Browse lawyers
Practice Areas in California
-
Business
-
Litigation
-
Real Estate
-
Intellectual Property
-
Personal Injury
-
Estate Planning
-
Criminal Defense
-
Family Law
-
Tax
-
Workers Compensation
-
Civil Rights
-
Insurance
-
Consumer Protection
-
Immigration
-
Government
-
Appeals
-
Probate
-
Trusts
-
Car Accident
-
Mediation
-
Entertainment
-
Class Action
-
Child Custody
-
Lawsuit / Dispute
-
Domestic Violence
-
Wrongful Death
-
Bankruptcy
-
Medical Malpractice
-
Child Support
-
Elder Law
-
Discrimination
-
Financial Markets And Services
-
Wrongful Termination
-
Juvenile Law
-
Sexual Harassment
-
Debt Collection
-
Employment / Labor
-
Copyright Application
-
Divorce
-
Social Security & Disability
-
Federal Crime
-
Sex Crime
-
Foreclosure
-
Adoption
-
DUI / DWI
-
Debt Settlement
-
Landlord & Tenant
-
Drug Crime
-
Construction
-
Cannabis Law
-
Credit Repair
-
Life Insurance
-
Constitutional Law
-
Education Law
-
Environmental Law
-
Contracts
-
Admiralty / Maritime
-
Corporate
Discover the ideal lawyer
You can search a lawyer by practice area, lawyer name, city, state, or ZIP code
FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What a Consumer Protection Lawyer Can Do for You
A consumer protection lawyer specializes in safeguarding individuals from unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices. These lawyers advocate for the rights of consumers in disputes with businesses, helping clients recover damages related to fraud, defective products, false advertising, or violation of consumer protection laws. They work to enforce laws that prevent businesses from taking advantage of consumers and ensure that businesses adhere to fair practices.
Whether you’ve been the victim of a scam, sold a faulty product, or misled by false advertising, a consumer protection lawyer can help you navigate legal options and pursue justice.
When Should I Hire a Consumer Protection Lawyer?
You should consider hiring a consumer protection lawyer when you’ve encountered unfair or illegal business practices and need legal assistance to resolve the situation. Common scenarios include:
- Fraud or deceptive business practices: If a company misled you into purchasing a product or service under false pretenses, a lawyer can help you seek compensation.
- Defective products: If you purchased a product that was unsafe or defective and caused harm, a lawyer can help you file a product liability claim.
- False advertising or unfair pricing: A lawyer can assist if you were misled by deceptive advertising or charged for services or products in a way that violates consumer laws.
- Debt collection harassment: If you're being harassed by debt collectors or are facing illegal debt collection practices, a consumer protection lawyer can enforce your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
- Credit report issues: If errors on your credit report are affecting your financial standing, a lawyer can help you resolve disputes with credit reporting agencies or creditors under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
- Predatory lending practices: If you've been subjected to unfair loan terms or practices by payday lenders or mortgage companies, a lawyer can help you challenge the loan and seek a resolution.
- Data breaches or identity theft: If your personal information was compromised due to a company’s failure to protect your data, a lawyer can help you recover damages related to the breach.
What Does a Consumer Protection Lawyer Do?
A consumer protection lawyer provides a wide range of services to help protect consumers' rights and seek compensation for harms caused by businesses. Their role may include:
- Filing lawsuits: Representing clients in lawsuits against businesses that have violated consumer protection laws, whether through fraud, deceptive practices, or negligence.
- Negotiating settlements: Working with businesses or their insurers to negotiate fair compensation for damages caused by unfair practices or defective products.
- Pursuing class action lawsuits: When a company harms multiple consumers, a lawyer can represent a group of plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit, seeking collective damages.
- Advising on consumer rights: Helping clients understand their rights under various consumer protection laws and advising on the best course of action.
- Handling product liability claims: Representing clients who have been injured by defective products and holding manufacturers or retailers accountable for the harm caused.
- Defending against debt collection harassment: Enforcing the rights of consumers under the FDCPA and other laws that protect individuals from abusive or unlawful debt collection tactics.
- Resolving credit report disputes: Helping clients correct errors on their credit reports that may be causing financial harm or affecting their creditworthiness.
How Are Consumer Protection Lawyers Paid?
Consumer protection lawyers typically use different fee structures depending on the complexity of the case and the type of legal work required. Common payment methods include:
- Contingency fee: For many consumer protection cases, such as class actions or product liability claims, lawyers may work on a contingency fee basis. This means they only get paid if they win or settle the case, taking a percentage (typically between 25% and 40%) of the awarded amount.
- Hourly rate: For more complex cases or ongoing legal disputes, some lawyers charge by the hour. Hourly rates can range from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Flat fee: For specific services, such as reviewing a contract or filing a small claim, a lawyer may charge a flat fee that covers all the necessary legal work.
- Retainer fee: For clients needing ongoing legal assistance, some lawyers may charge a retainer fee, which is an upfront payment that is billed against as the lawyer works on the case.
It’s important to discuss fees upfront with your lawyer to understand how you’ll be charged and to avoid unexpected costs.
How Much Does a Consumer Protection Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a consumer protection lawyer depends on the complexity of the case, the lawyer’s experience, and the type of legal service required. General cost estimates include:
- Contingency fee cases: For cases handled on a contingency basis, the lawyer typically takes between 25% and 40% of any settlement or damages awarded.
- Hourly rates: Hourly rates for consumer protection lawyers generally range from $150 to $500, with higher rates for more experienced attorneys or cases involving complex legal issues.
- Flat fees: For specific services like contract reviews or handling a small claims case, flat fees may range from $500 to $2,000, depending on the scope of work.
- Class actions: In class action cases, fees are often paid out of the settlement or damages awarded, and individual plaintiffs usually do not have to pay upfront.
Make sure to ask for a clear estimate of costs during your initial consultation to avoid surprises and to understand how much you can expect to pay.
Top Questions to Ask a Consumer Protection Lawyer
Before hiring a consumer protection lawyer, it’s important to ask questions to ensure they have the experience and skills to handle your case effectively. Key questions include:
-
What experience do you have with consumer protection law?
Ensure the lawyer has specific experience handling cases like yours, whether it involves product liability, fraud, or debt collection issues. -
How do you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges by the hour, a flat fee, or a contingency fee, and ask for an estimate of the total cost of your case. -
What is the likelihood of success for my case?
Ask the lawyer for an honest assessment of your case and what outcome you can reasonably expect. -
Have you handled cases like mine before?
Make sure the lawyer has experience dealing with similar legal issues, whether it’s credit report disputes, data breaches, or defective products. -
What is the timeline for resolving my case?
While it can be difficult to predict exact timelines, the lawyer should give you a general idea of how long your case may take to resolve. -
Will you handle my case personally?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may handle parts of your case, so it’s important to know who will be working on your claim.
How to Check the Credibility of a Consumer Protection Lawyer
To ensure you are hiring a reputable consumer protection lawyer, take the following steps to verify their credentials and track record:
- Verify their bar status: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no history of disciplinary actions.
- Check for experience in consumer protection: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to confirm they specialize in consumer protection law and have handled cases similar to yours.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for client reviews on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to see what previous clients have said about the lawyer’s professionalism and success rate.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be willing to provide references from past clients who can speak to their ability to handle consumer protection cases.
- Look for industry affiliations: Membership in organizations like the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) can indicate that the lawyer is committed to protecting consumer rights.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first consultation with a consumer protection lawyer, come prepared with all relevant documents and information. Here’s what you should bring:
- Details of the product or service in question: Bring any purchase receipts, warranties, or contracts related to the product or service involved in your claim.
- Documentation of your complaint: Provide evidence of your complaint, such as email exchanges with the company, photos of a defective product, or a timeline of events related to the dispute.
- Communication with the business or debt collector: If you’ve communicated with the business or debt collector, bring copies of letters, emails, or phone logs.
- List of questions: Write down any questions you have about the legal process, costs, and potential outcomes for your case.
- Information on damages: Be prepared to discuss any financial losses or harm you’ve suffered as a result of the unfair business practices, including medical bills, lost wages, or emotional distress.
By preparing thoroughly for your consultation, you can help the lawyer understand your situation more effectively and get the best possible legal advice on how to proceed with your case.
