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How do I Choose the Best No Win No Fee Lawyers?

Lainie Petersen
Lainie Petersen

Choosing good no win no fee lawyers is typically a matter of researching the lawyer's reputation and areas of expertise and determining whether the financial agreement will serve your best interests. You should ensure that the lawyer or law firm that you work with is properly licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction and that neither the law firm nor the lawyers signed to your case have been the subject of recent disciplinary action. Contacting more than one no win no fee attorney can help you get an idea of what you can expect by proceeding with a lawsuit in your case.

As no win no fee lawyers work on a contingency basis, also known as a conditional basis in the United Kingdom, they do not receive payment until their litigation results in either a financial settlement or court judgment in favor of their client or clients. In the United Kingdom, no win no fee lawyers can charge only their normal fees, plus a limited success fee if they win or settle your case. Lawyers who work on contingency in the United States can take a percentage of your settlement or winnings from a lawsuit. Given this particular financial arrangement, no win no fee lawyers are likely to take only cases that they believe that they can win or settle profitably. If your case may be difficult to prove or if you are strongly invested in winning your case in order to prove a moral point, you should talk to the attorney about whether he is willing to take your case on a contingency basis and perhaps consider fee-based legal representation.

In general, lawyers must be licensed in the jurisdictions where they practice.
In general, lawyers must be licensed in the jurisdictions where they practice.

In general, lawyers must be licensed in the jurisdictions where they practice. Contact the Bar Association or licensure agency in your area to determine whether the no win no fee lawyers you consider are properly licensed. You can also ask if they've been accused of wrongdoing by previous clients. Word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and legal professionals can also be a good way to determine whether a relationship with a particular lawyer is worth pursuing.

No win lawyers will only take a case they believe they can win.
No win lawyers will only take a case they believe they can win.

Be sure to review the financial agreement offered to you by a no win no fee lawyer. If you don't have money to fight your case, it can be tempting to settle for an unbalanced agreement. If you have been seriously injured in some way by someone's actions, you may need to rely on any financial compensation you receive through legal action. Then you should carefully compare the financial agreements offered by different lawyers in order to ensure that it is worth it for you to proceed with litigation.

Discussion Comments

Animandel

I think no win no fee solicitors are going to work even harder to win your case than lawyers who are getting paid by the hour or lawyers who have a set fee. The no fee guys don't want to do all that work and then have nothing to show for it at then end of the day. They are taking a big risk.

Drentel

@Feryll - If you are not really injured and you are just trying to take advantage of the situation and get some money then most any of the solicitors who have a no win no fee policy will probably do. As you said, if you choose one of them and he or she loses the case you are not out of anything, except some time and energy.

On the other hand, if you are really injured and you need to win your case to get money to cover your medical bills and future medical bills then you should find a real lawyer who knows what he or she is doing. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and if there is no fee then you aren't getting much.

Feryll

I was recently in a car accident and I have been receiving letters from lawyers offering their services at no charge unless they win the case for me. I don't even know how they got my name and address. I'm not sure I want to get a lawyer who I know nothing about, and these that are contacting me are what some people would call ambulance chasers.

They are offering to take my case, and telling me to see a doctor and they haven't even spoken to me personally. However, I do like the idea of hiring a no win no fee lawyer so I won't spend a lot of money and then lose my case and have nothing to show for all that money.

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    • In general, lawyers must be licensed in the jurisdictions where they practice.
      By: George Wada
      In general, lawyers must be licensed in the jurisdictions where they practice.
    • No win lawyers will only take a case they believe they can win.
      By: Aleksandar Radovanov
      No win lawyers will only take a case they believe they can win.