Specialization
Lawyers do not specialize in certain areas of law the way that doctors do—although there are a few exceptions. All attorneys in New York undergo the same bar examination and there are very few ways for them to be officially named specialists of any area.
However, this does not mean that lawyers cannot have their particular fields of expertise. Employment law is a very special field. It combines civil rights law with contract law, statutory torts with common-law torts, and federal law with state law. If you have a sexual harassment claim, it is best to hire an employment lawyer who focuses on sexual harassment. Only a highly experienced New York sexual harassment lawyer can provide you legal advice and representation suitable for your case.
Paying for a Lawyer
New York sexual harassment lawyers can be very expensive, so $300-per-hour rates are not uncommon. It can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to take a case to trial. A lot of people who have sexual harassment issues cannot afford this.
In many instances, they get fired and are left with no means of income. There are also those who think that even if they win, the damages they’d be awarded would be too small to make hiring a New York sexual harassment lawyer worthwhile. The solution? Find a lawyer who represents clients on a contingency fee basis.
Contingency Fees
There are New York sexual harassment lawyers who represent clients on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee is where the attorney gets portion of the client’s recovery. Before taking a case on a contingency basis, many lawyers need these two questions answered:
• Is there a good chance of winning? When offered a case that has poor chances of winning, a lawyer will most likely refuse to take it on contingency.
• What are the damages?
Even if the chances of succeeding are good, a lawyer still has to consider if the damages are significant enough to pay for the time and effort he or she is going to spend.
If do you find a New York sexual harassment lawyer who is willing to take on your case, that in itself is a sign that your cases has a good chance of winning and winning big.