Reasons to Retain a New Haven Law Firm
Choosing to work with a law firm located in New Haven, CT can offer several advantages that contribute to a more tailored and personalized legal experience. By selecting a local law firm, clients can benefit from their extensive local knowledge, community involvement, and direct understanding of any regional nuances that can affect their case.
A key advantage of working with a law firm in New Haven is the level of familiarity they have with the local courts and legal system. Many New Haven attorneys have forged strong relationships with judges and court personnel over the years, which can sometimes ease the legal process and provide insights into local procedures and practices.
New Haven law firms are also deeply rooted in their community, often having worked on various cases and outreach programs throughout the region . This commitment to the locale can bring an added depth of understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by residents of the area, and allow them to provide more comprehensive legal services to their clients.
One of the primary benefits for clients in selecting a local law firm is the level of personalized service they can expect. Smaller, community-based law firms often have more flexibility in their schedules, are more accessible, and are able to offer more individualized attention to each case. Clients can directly communicate with their attorney about their concerns, and have a direct line to their representation without encountering multiple layers of bureaucracy.
Categories of Legal Services
A full spectrum of legal representation is available from law firms in New Haven, CT. As noted, personal injury lawyers help individuals seek compensation for their injuries that have been caused by the negligence of others. This can be anything from injuries sustained in auto accidents to workplace injuries. Family law attorneys are able to handle all issues related to divorce, including child custody, visitation, support and domestic violence. They also handle matters involving post-judgment modifications.
Criminal defense attorneys deal with felony and misdemeanor criminal cases. Because Connecticut has an income tax and sizeable estate taxes, many estates and trusts attorneys deal with probate cases as well as planning for an efficient transition of assets. Real estate lawyers represent buyers and sellers of homes, condominium units and commercial properties.
Careful research should be undertaken in order to find the law firm in New Haven, CT that offers the skills and sensitivity needed to address your legal issues.
Highly Rated New Haven Law Firms
The legal community in New Haven is home to some of the top-rated law firms in the state and the country. A few of them are:
Gordon, Janet & Seldon LLC
Founded in 1956, Gordon, Janet & Seldon LLC is one of Connecticut’s premier business law firms, concentrating its practice on transactional and corporate law, estates and trusts, litigation, employment and human resources, real estate and intellectual property.
Clark, Lau & Keim, LLC
This boutique law firm specializes in complex business, civil litigation, construction litigation, corporate law, and probate matters. Founded in 2010, Clark, Lau & Keim, LLC has earned a reputation for fair and practical insight into the law, while providing aggressive representation to its clients.
Cohen and Wolf P.C.
Founded in 1951, Cohen and Wolf P.C. is one of the largest independent law firms in Connecticut. The firm is recognized for its ability to offer high-quality legal services that are cost-effective to various individuals, not-for-profits, and businesses.
Selecting an Appropriate Law Firm
In the often complex and nuanced realm of legal proceedings, choosing the right law firm is a monumental decision. Beyond the flashy web sites and testimonials, there are several critical factors to consider when selecting a legal team to handle your case.
First, evaluate the firm’s experience in your specific area of need. Most reputable firms will have a dedicated area of expertise, or concentration within the broad spectrum of law. Whether it be a high-stakes real estate deal, a labor dispute, or such personal matters as divorce or criminal defense, look for a firm that handles a significant number of similar cases on a regular basis. Consider also the industry experience of the firm’s lawyers; in some cases, a professional background in a specific field can provide a significant advantage.
Next, examine the firm’s success rate in its specific area of expertise. If possible, obtain references from prior clients, and search the internet for reviews and other feedback. Of particular importance, however, is the firm’s win-loss record in cases similar to your own . Armed with this information, an informed judgement can be made concerning competency and the likelihood of a favorable outcome.
Especially in the case of an individual claimant, consider whether the law firm is able to accept and advance the cost of litigation. For a plaintiff’s lawfirm – a firm working on a contingency basis – the rewards can be substantial. However, if something goes wrong, the financial impact can be devastating for the firm. In any scenario, retaining a lawfirm that is able and willing to bear the cost of pursuing your claim is a significant advantage. In some cases, you may even be able to pre-negotiate a settlement before starting your lawsuit.
Lastly – perhaps most importantly – consider your ability to communicate with your chosen lawfirm. Does your attorney return phone calls? Respond to email? Are they respectful, and do they respect your opinions? Do you feel comfortable with them? Ultimately, whether or not a case is won is largely up to the attorney. Without trust in their abilities and professionalism, the results can be disastrous.
Interacting with the Legal System in New Haven
For those involved in legal disputes or other challenging legal situations in New Haven, understanding the local legal system is critical to a successful resolution of their problems. Most importantly, it is generally advised that legal representation be established at the outset as there are strict statutes of limitation for taking various legal actions. Because of this, those taking action regarding matters such as personal injury or property damage should be aware of the fact that there is a two year statute of limitation and should take appropriate action within that time frame. This means that investigations of the case and any negotiations with providers regarding medical bills should be addressed immediately.
The courts throughout the New Haven area include family courts, civil and criminal courts, immigration courts, bankruptcy courts and others that focus on specific areas of the law. New Haven County has six district courts that cover a broad area of law. Two are located in New Haven, one in Branford and the rest in the immediate surrounding area. There is also a large family court building located on Washington avenue, between Forest Road and Whalley Avenue. Located on Elm Street in downtown New Haven is the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. There are several specialized federal courts in New Haven as well, including one that focuses on maritime law deep in the port area.
Since New Haven and the surrounding area are near the state capital of Hartford, more important and high profile cases often go to Hartford Superior Court. These cases are addressed by judges who are known for making final decisions in more involved cases, including those related to medical malpractice and drug charges. For example, once a criminal defendant reaches a certain level of criminal act, such as murder in the first degree, that case is automatically sent to Hartford Superior for a trial.
Most Commonly Asked Questions
In this section, we will delve into some of the common questions that you might have while hiring a law firm in New Haven, CT.
Do you charge for initial consultations?
Most law firms in New Haven, CT do provide an initial consultation free of charge. However, the scope of appointment may be limited to a half an hour or such. While laws do not require it, some law firms will charge a small fee for this consultation, however, this does not occur frequently. This is a good opportunity for you to ask the broad range of questions that you might have on the consultation with the lawyer.
How long will my case take to resolve?
It would be fair to say that no case can be estimated to returned to be resolved in a specific period of time . The length of time it can take for a case to resolve depends on the nature of the case and the severity of the matter at hand. A lawyer can only give you two outcome scenarios; however, they should be able to give you a sense of how long things may take.
How will my attorney keep me informed?
Your contact with your attorney should be encouraged. How often do you get updates? Depending on the complexity of the case, your lawyer will be spending a lot of their time working on your case. However, they should be able to keep you updated. Make sure you make an effort to touch base every once in a while, it’s important for you to stay invested in your case.