A construction lawyer helps the property owner understand the terms of their building contract. For many property owners, understanding the complex legal intricacies attributed to construction can be overwhelming, and therefore a lawyer’s service is vital to help resolve any issues that may arise between the owner and the builder.
But choosing the right building contract lawyer is more than just reading a quick Google review: you have to be sure that the lawyer has the skills and experience to ensure they will resolve any disputes with aplomb.
There are a few things to look out for regarding this, including:
- Make sure you go with a construction lawyer
Construction law is a specialised field that shouldn’t be taken up by an everyday lawyer. Many law firms may offer construction law services but they may not actually have a lawyer on-hand that specialised in the field.
This can be absolutely fatal for property owners, as these lawyers most likely will not have a profound understanding of the ins and outs of the construction industry and how to advise you if any disputes arise.
- Experience
Construction law is a profound, highly complex field that not all lawyers can handle. For this reason alone, there are specific such lawyers you can enlist that fully comprehend the industry.
What’s more, choosing a construction lawyer with experience is essential to ensuring they have witnessed most – if not all – of the various disputes that can arise throughout the construction process.
Sure, you could just go with any run-of-the-mill construction lawyer, but do they have the skills and knowledge to ensure you are always looked after?
Experience is essential – don’t overlook it for a cheaper deal!
- Testimonials
A good specialist should have years of experience in their field, and in those years they should have racked up a fair few positive testimonials in their time.
Whilst you may want to check out a firm’s Google reviews before making initial contact, it is important that you request testimonials when you have your initial consultation.
Testimonials are usually more profound than Google reviews and can give you a more thorough understanding of why that construction law firm is the one that is going to have your back at all times.
- Ensure they are focused on results
This is a great way to test the lawyer’s experience: simply ask them how they aim to achieve your objective, regardless of what that objective may be.
If your candidate is unable to provide a proper answer regarding your objectives and how they could best be achieved then it’s highly likely that the lawyer doesn’t have the experience to handle your process.
A good construction lawyer should have the skills and experience to answer your questions regarding how to reach specific objectives without the question stumping them.
- Ensure that you get the experienced lawyer
Construction law firms often have many lawyers on-hand, and will host a consultation with one of their more senior lawyers to get you on their side. However, they often shaft the work off onto a junior once you have signed the dotted line and arranged payment for their services.
Whilst this is often fine, you may like to request to meet the lawyer that they intend to delegate the work, or at least ask if the lawyer who hosts your initial consultation will in fact be the one that handles your construction matters.
This way, you can be sure of the person handling your case if any issues arise and you won’t be surprised if a different lawyer pops up to deal with any disputes.
