How to Choose a Lemon Law Firm
A consumer who owns or has leased a lemon should look for some of the following characteristics in selecting a lemon law firm:
- Check the State Bar of California's website http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member.aspx to learn of the lawyer’s or law firm’s standing, credentials, and other important information.
- By checking the attorney’s or law firm's credentials you can determine the number of years that the individual attorney has been practicing law, and thereby detecting any inflated claims. For example, some law firms may state that they have 10 years of lemon law experience when the number of years is actually made up of the combined total years that two or more attorneys have been practicing law. You should inquire as to how many years the individual attorneys have been practicing lemon law, and how long they have been practicing in the State of California.
- Check too, whether the law firm is physically located in the State of California. Some law firms have their principal offices outside of California and either by having an attorney who is actually resident in the out-of-state office but licensed in California, or by associating with a California attorney, claim to be California law firms.
- Watch out for boasts of successful lemon law litigation. The vast majority of California lemon law claims are resolved by negotiation and settlement without the need to put the consumer through the hassles and pain of litigation. Litigation is most often the result of a failure to negotiate a successful settlement. A large number of unsuccessful negotiated cases and resulting law suits filed, usually indicates that the law firm does not use a rigorous screening process so as to weed out consumers who do not have meritorious lemon law claims.
- Be cautious of the "lemon law mills." Some law firms may be willing to accept clients with less than meritorious lemon law claims. An experienced lemon law firm will not compromise its standards just to obtain the attorneys fees paid by manufacturers.
- Check to see whether the law firm's website contains clients' testimonials.
- Most reputable lemon law firms will offer a free review case.
- Ask about the law firm's success rate in handling lemon law cases.
- The last thing you should be concerned about are attorneys' fees. Manufacturer’s pay most, if not all, reasonable attorney’s fees. Remember the old adage "You get what you pay for." Getting rid of your lemon and not having to go through the hassle of dealing with the manufacturer, is worth more than the reasonable fees, if any, that a qualified lemon law firm may charge.
If you are in California call our Lemon Law Offices:
Anywhere in California (free call): 1.888.ExLemon (395.3666)
- California Lemon Law in Los Angeles: 310-475-1700
- California Lemon Law in San Francisco: 415-285-5366
- California Lemon Law in San Diego: 619-229-6900
- California Lemon Law in Orange County: 949-856-4333
- California Lemon Law in Palm Springs: 760-395-1000
- California Lemon Law in San Fernando Valley: 818-837-0500
