@James Wilcox, you're so right. I ended up writing a novel to @David Richter, but I thought that it was valuable information to have for anyone not used to shopping for legal services, so I thought I'd share.
Finding the right attorney is tough. Litigation and contract review describes such a wide range of needs, and the amount you spend on a lawyer should be commensurate with the gravity of the need. I explain what I mean below for both litigation and contract review:
Contract Review
How basic is the contract? Is it just a lease for a typical rental? Is it a triple net lease with a commercial tenant that will last 30 years? Is it a partnership agreement or a contract to make sure your contractor finishes on time and with the desired quality? Is it a three million dollar development?
As long as its a simple lease, I think any attorney with experience working with REI folks can do a good job. If it's a complicated transaction, I would go to a transactional attorney at a bigger firm, or I would find an attorney that used to do that kind of work and is now on his or at a smaller practice. You will pay more, but you'll be happy you did if an issue arises down the road.
You want to interview the attorney and ask what kind of contracts and transactions he has worked on. It's important that the attorney you choose has an understanding of REI and has solved problems similar to yours for clients in the past.
Litigation
Are we talking a nastygram and a demand letter to someone that wronged you to the tune of a grand or two? Or are we talking a significant amount in dispute requiring actual litigation where discovery, depositions, and motions practice will need to occur before the other side finally sees the value of settling? Are we talking a situation where trial is inevitable?
A good lawyer can listen to your problem, and offer a solution that is practical under the circumstances. A bad lawyer will go crazy and overbill you without really solving your particular problem.
In the beginning, unless you've developed a long-standing relationship with an attorney who you trust, I would likely use a different attorney for each of these sets of circumstances. It will just be more cost-effective that way. The more actual litigation that needs to happen in your situation, the more you should expect to pay an attorney per hour (or on a flat rate basis--this is all negotiable). You can always find cheaper attorneys, but unless they are just starting out and they are cheap to build a client base, you really are getting what you pay for.
@Emmy K. mentioned $195 per hour. In the Louisville market, that's not unreasonable if that attorney is capable. To put it in perspective, my firm bills me at $205 an hour and my partner at almost $400 an hour. If I was on my own, I'd likely be well under that, but only because I'd be trying to attract business.
Thanks and good luck!
