When considering whether to hire a flat fee eviction attorney, be sure to ask a lot of questions. The fee quoted assumes that the eviction will be uncontested. In other words, the flat fee quoted will only apply if the tenant ignores the fact that the landlord has filed an eviction action and simply lets a default judgment be entered against him/her/it. In our experience this almost never happens. No matter how hopeless a tenant's situation is, almost every tenant does something to avoid being evicted. Wouldn't you?
Some important questions you should ask the flat fee eviction law firm include:
Who is handling my matter? A paralegal, secretary or an attorney with years of experience doing evictions?
At Rosenthal Law Group we never have paralegals or secretaries handle evictions. All work is done by attorneys.
Is the fee quoted for residential or commercial evictions?
At Rosenthal Law Group we exclusively handle commercial evictions. The laws are quite different. In fact, often times a residential eviction isn't even filed in the same court as a commercial eviction.
What is the fee if the matter is contested?
Once the matter is contested (i.e., any paper is filed by the tenant opposing the eviction), the so called flat fee eviction is no longer a flat fee eviction. You can expect to pay much more than originally expected since you will be charged on an hourly basis. No two lawyers charge the same per hour and certainly the hourly rate is usually commensurate with the level of experience of the attorney. However, if you assume that your eviction matter will be contested, you should ask what you will be charged per hour and consider whether you are comfortable with the experience of the attorney handling the matter at the hourly rate being charged.
What is the timing of obtaining an uncontested eviction?
At Rosenthal Law Group we expedite all evictions. After all, the Florida law is written specifically to make the process quick if you take advantage of the available rights and remedies. However, sending paperwork to the court by mail and letting the process work its way through the system usually is a less expensive way to handle the eviction process but inevitably delays even an uncontested eviction by many weeks. Some flat fee law firms state that the uncontested eviction could take 4-6 weeks or more to evict a tenant in an uncontested eviction. While there are never any guarantees, an uncontested eviction can be accomplished in far less time if the process is expedited. While the cost may be slightly more, time is money, and the quicker you regain possession of your premise the sooner you can re-let it and start making money.
Does the flat fee eviction law firm have experience in commercial evictions?
Rosenthal Law Group is a business law firm that handles all types of commercial matters including complex commercial litigation. Commercial evictions are just one of the areas where we have extensive experience. We do not handle residential evictions, but focus our attention on what we do best - commercial evictions. We have handled hundreds or commercial landlord tenant disputes. We provide unmatched experience handling all aspects of commercial evictions including distress for rent, suits for damages, enforcement of lien rights, emergency hearings, and defense of counterclaims filed by tenants. Alex Rosenthal has lectured on the subject of commercial landlord tenant actions and remedies and has authored substantive written materials relied upon by other experienced attorneys in the area of commercial landlord tenant law.
Does the flat fee eviction firm provide you immediate and regular contact with a lawyer handling your matter?
At Rosenthal Law Group you will speak directly with our attorneys and have immediate access by phone and email at all times to get regular updates on the status of your eviction. Constant communication is important no matter what your matter is and we pride ourselves on maintaining a high level of communication with our clients. Your eviction is the most important matter you have and we will treat it as such in our firm.
Does the flat fee eviction firm provide legal representation and advice on your business and lease generally?
When you retain Rosenthal Law Group to handle your matter, whether it is a general commercial dispute or a landlord tenant eviction, we believe you are hiring us to be your attorney for more than a single isolated matter. We will listen to you and consider anything we believe relevant to your business and suggest helpful advice to improve your situation. The eviction may be your current issue, but it can't be considered in a vacuum. This can only occur when your matter is handled by attorneys as opposed to paralegals and secretaries.
Contact the attorneys at Rosenthal Law Group for a complimentary consultation to discuss your matter.