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| What Lawyers Do |
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Think of lawyers as wilderness guides. You wouldn't trek through South American jungles, African veldts or Himalayan mountain passes without experienced guides, and you shouldn't try to make your way through a legal problem without an attorney. Lawyers speak the language of the law, which is, you'll find, definitely not English, and lawyers know how to detect and avoid pitfalls. Of course, if you do try it on your own and get into trouble, lawyers can get you out of trouble, but it's much more expensive than avoiding trouble in the first place.
There are three ways in which lawyers are paid: hourly fees, flat fees and contingency fees. Lawyers being paid by the hour send monthly bills listing the amount of time spent on your case and multiplying that time by the hourly rate. Flat fees are fees set in advance for a defined set of services, and are often paid in advance. Contingency fees are collected by an attorney only out of the winnings from the case. Different types of legal matters lend themselves to different types of fees, but all are negotiable.
Lawyers are less specialized than many people think, but there are many areas of the law in which different lawyers practice. Genser & Watkins practices in the following areas: |
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| Business |
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Organizing new businesses |
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Reorganizing existing businesses |
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Negotiating transactions, including real estate purchases and leases, equipment purchases |
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and leases, service and supplier contracts, purchase orders and public works contracts |
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Selling and buying businesses, all or part |
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Collections and representing creditors in bankruptcy |
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Employment issues |
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Dispute resolution and litigation |
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| Real Estate |
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Reviewing and negotiating real estate sales contracts |
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Reviewing and negotiating residential and commercial leases |
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Construction defects |
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Property tax assessment appeals |
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Dispute resolution and litigation |
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| Construction |
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Construction defect claims |
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Mechanics Liens |
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Stop Notices |
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Reviewing and negotiating contracts and subcontracts |
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| Estate and Trust Litigation |
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If you think Genser & Watkins might be able to assist you, call or send an e-mail. |
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If your issue is not included in the list, above, then you should consider calling one of the following: |
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Criminal Law: Lawyers who defend those accused of crimes often have little experience with civil matters, and the opposite is also true. Genser & Watkins LLP recommends that those needing a criminal defense attorney call Darren Kessler at 510-524-7750, Craig Pinto, at 510 234-1616, David Briggs, at 510 234-0900, Ted Cassman, at 510 654-2000, or Linda Fullerton, at 510 232-4000.
Wills, Trusts and Estates: Lawyers who help you plan for your retirement or for your family after your demise must have a large body of specialized knowledge, including tax law and probate law. Genser & Watkins LLP recommends that everyone consult an attorney with such expertise, and we recommends David Brown at 510 758-5100.
Personal Injury: If you are injured and someone else is at fault, you can sue that other person for damages. Lawyers who handle such cases tend to do so to the exclusion of other types of cases, because they need a volume of these cases. This is because the lawyer gets paid on a contingency fee basis, meaning that the lawyer gets paid only out of the winnings, and, thus, only if you win. Genser & Watkins LLP recommends that anyone needing a personal injury lawyer call Vaughn Spunaugle, at 262-0878.
Divorce and Child Custody: This is another area of the law where there are a lot of unique rules and practices. In fact, the State Bar of California certifies specialists in this field. Genser & Watkins LLP recommends Kathryn Fox and Brigeda Bank of Fox & Bank LLP.
Employment: If you are an employee and you think you are a victim of harassment or discrimination or you have been fired or demoted wrongfully, Genser & Watkins recommends that you call Howard Mencher, at 925-930-7501. If you are an employer accused of harassment, discrimination or wrongful termination, call Genser & Watkins LLP at 510 237-6916.
Landlord-Tenant: Genser & Watkins LLP will represent landlords who need to evict tenants in especially large or complicated situations. In other cases, landlords needing to evict a tenant should call Denzil Clements, at 510 243-0145. Tenants who need to defend themselves against an eviction should look in their local Yellow Pages or call the Bar Association's Attorneys' Reference Panel, at 925-686-6900 |
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