Do you have to pay all lawyers/attorneys up front?

or are there some that let you pay when the case is done?


I am broke and need a lawyer to aid me in removing an executor of estate or getting her to disburse the funds

Fees must be legal under the laws of the place where the representation takes place, but there are no limits to how creative fee structures can be within the legal limits.

Custom and practice are different for different types of cases. Over the years certain realities of representation in certain types of cases have shown that some fee arrangements work better in some situations than in others.

In business litigation it is usually pay as you go. The business pays a retainer and gets a monthly bill to maintain the retainer amount. This is the most traditional fee arrangement.

In many personal injury cases, the attorney takes the case on contingency, agreeing to a certain percentage only if the case is won or settles.

In many criminal defense cases the entire fee is paid up front.

But basically any fee arrangement that you can agree about with the attorney is possible so long as it is within the bounds of the law of the place where the representation is taking place.

Some creative solutions are part pay as you go, part contingency; contingency on tax cases, etc. Not all arrangements will be legal in all places. It is place specific.

You can ask whether the attorney whether she or he will accept deferred payment or a contingency arrangement, the big question is whether they will say "yes."

Also, do not assume that all attorneys will provide a free consult. Many do, but some very successful attorneys are not interested in clients that are not "serious" enough to pay for an initial consult. It is always best to ask when you make the appointment.

I don't know about that sort of situation. For lawsuits most will wait till you win and take a large chunk of the money. Usually you can talk to an attorney one time for free.

No.