How To Hire A Lawyer

By Kim Douglas Sherman, Esq.

If you want to get the most lawyering for your money, read on. Your first step should be to identify your problem and legal needs. Do you need a will? Does someone owe you money? Maybe the company you hired will not finish the job? Make a list of your questions and prepare to get some answers.

 

You should be looking for a lawyer with local knowledge, who knows the judges, experts, and the way it gets done where you need it done. Your best source of referrals is your friends or business associates–people whose opinions you trust. Check with the county bar association for a professional referral network. If all else fails look in the telephone directory under the area of specialty that you need.

 

When you call the lawyer for an appointment, you should feel welcomed. Ask if there will be an initial consultation fee. When you meet with the lawyer ask him or her to tell you what are their qualifications to do your job. Read the lawyer your list of questions and ask for answers. Ask the lawyer to evaluate your position. What is the
downside risk and maximum cost? If you win what is the chance of getting paid? Ask the lawyer to be candid–is it worth hiring him or her? You may want to ask the lawyer toput his or her opinions into writing.

 

When it is time to talk about legal fees make sure that you know all the terms and add some important ones of your own. Make sure the agreement is in writing and that you have received a copy. Ask if the lawyer will put a “cap” upon the fee or set a fixed fee. If the charges are on a time basis, ask what the minimum billing time unit will be–
will the charges be by the tenth of the hour or greater? Make sure that you know which lawyer will be performing your work. Have the lawyer commit to give you copies of all documents received and sent out regarding your case. Tell the lawyer that you will not tolerate churning, that is billing for lawyers in the same firm to talk to each other or their para-legals about your case. Insist that you want regular billing on a monthly basis that specifies the services rendered and the specific time charged for each service.

 

Get one last promise from your new lawyer. Make him or her promise to call you back within the same day that you call or before the end of the very next day. Now you have a firm basis upon which to build a satisfactory relationship with your lawyer.

GOOD LUCK!

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Walking the Dog or Just Walking, Jogging, or Running in Lighthouse Point

By Kim Douglas Sherman, Esquire.

Did you know that we have laws that govern the way we travel “afoot”?

Get out of the street! Florida Law, Chapter 316.130 governs pedestrians. “Pedestrian” is defined as any person who travels “afoot”–so joggers and runners pay attention, too. Subsection (3) requires that you stay on the sidewalk if there is a sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, subsection (4) dictates that you must travel on the left shoulder of the roadway in the direction that you are going so that you are facing the approaching traffic. That makes sense, because it gives you a chance to jump out of the way of a distracted or out of control driver. Good luck with that! Maybe they should add a law requiring pedestrians to wear bright and reflective clothing.

 

Some of our citizens think that a pedestrian always has the right of way. Right? No, wrong. If you are crossing the street, other than in a crosswalk, you must yield to vehicles. Look for those crosswalks and use them, because that is required by our state law. In Lighthouse Point, your dog must follow the same traffic rules, as you must do. Why? In Lighthouse Point our code of ordinances, Section 10-32(a), requires that no dog may be at large. That means that your dog must be on a leash, or chain of sufficient strength to control the animal when it is not on your own property, and (I know this is no surprise to you) the owner must be attached to the other end of the restraint.

 

Hold tight to that leash. Florida law, Section 767.01, is very clear that whoever owns or should be in control of a dog, is legally responsible for the damage done to persons or other animals caused by the dog in a public place. It does not matter if the dog had no previous signs of aggressiveness.

 

Here are some other Lighthouse Point Ordinances to note. Section 10-34, requires all dogs and cats, older than 2 months, to have a Broward County license. Section 10-40 prohibits walking your dogs or cats in any public park, unless there is a special event that permits them.

 

Finally, while we are speaking of walking your dogs, I am duty bound (no pun intended) to touch on the subject of cleanup. Lighthouse Point Ordinance Section 10-33 makes it illegal to allow your pet to defecate on any public or private property, except for your own property, unless you “make an immediate effort to remove the feces.” So, if that is the law, why do we need to watch out where we place our feet?

 

Be careful and be safe.

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