When the people of Washington tell us their story, we listen.
When the people of Washington ask us to share our story, we answer.
At NG Law Firm, we believe in making real connections with the people we work with every day. This allows us to equip ourselves to not only represent them, their families, or their businesses, but it also equips us to better represent all clients in the future.
Transparency is a critical element of a successful legal relationship, but it goes both ways. We know people searching for a lawyer on the Long Beach Peninsula and all across the region have questions that they may be afraid to ask or don’t know how to ask.
That’s why we want to start answering some of the most common questions we get with transparency to help you make the best decision about how you proceed with your case. Want to see your question answered next? Reach out to us on our Facebook page to submit your questions!
Today, Senior Partner Nathan Needham is handling some of the biggest burning questions our clients have.
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What made you want to become a lawyer?
Becoming a lawyer was not my original career path. I had planned to work in government, see the world, and live far outside my local community where I was born and raised. But all that changed when an advisor in college saw something in me that I had not yet seen and encouraged me to apply to law school.
Law school was not like undergrad; it was intense, and by the end of the journey, I was able to take apart any factual scenario you could throw at me and find the “legal issues” that needed answers. But when they give you the ability to do a “legal analysis,” they also take out something and I would not realize what that was until many years later.
After graduation, I spent time as a deputy prosecutor, and then, four years later, I moved into private practice. I feel like that move was when I actually discovered why I loved this career—helping people. Although I met some amazing folks working as a prosecutor, and I worked hundreds, if not thousands, of cases, in those 4 years helping folks, I never felt I had any “time” to really get to know them.
That all changed on the private side; time was on my side, and I could spend time with clients learning their stories and their needs, listening to what was important to them. This was also when I realized that all that “analysis” I had been taught in law school had taken the creative side of me and replaced it with rigid logic. Logic that, although extremely useful, needed to have room for the art of telling a client’s story authentically, truthfully, and with the emotional respect that it deserved.
A lot of work on myself and my trade has brought me to where I am now, a voice for those without a voice, without power, and with a need to have their stories heard in an authentic manner. In the end, as I look back over the past 25 years, it was never about becoming a lawyer; it was about helping others and sharing their stories to find the justice they needed.
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Why would I hire you over other attorneys who do similar work?
It is very hard to work in a profession that has billboards on every street corner advertising the “toughest attorney,” or commercials during your favorite sporting event advertising “the best law firm,” and movies and television shows that portray what an attorney “should be.” Our team often talks to folks about their expectations, and some say they want “a bulldog” of an attorney to “tear into the other side,” they want someone “aggressive.” Don’t get me wrong, sometimes that is what is needed, but the question you have to ask yourself is, what does your story need?
When I’ve had the opportunity to watch some of the best attorneys at work, I’ve said to myself, “Wow, I want to be like them.” But, it’s only through experience and time that I’ve come to understand what truly makes them great. It’s that they are truly authentic, “what you see is what you get.” I believe that is what separates us from others; we’ve learned that it’s who you are that matters. If you try to be tough when you’re not, if you try to deliver an empathetic message to a jury or a judge and you aren’t moved by the story, then you aren’t being true to yourself OR your client’s story, and this is the downfall of many a client’s case.
My approach to cases is to find how I feel about it and where those feelings come from to establish connections to the eventual audience, a jury, a judge, a mediator, a prosecutor, or a defense attorney. Connecting people to your story, your case, is what makes people want to help you, not in the form of sympathy, but rather empathy. Letting people experience what you do, see what you do, and feel what you do is what sets us apart from others.
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How much do you actually make off of your clients?
All of our fees are structured in a way that tells you exactly how much you will pay for our services. Most of our fees are set as “flat fees,” meaning we charge a one-time fee to handle your matter from the first appointment until your matter is resolved. All of our fee agreements tell you what is included. For instance, not all of our fees in criminal cases include going to trial. Why? Because not every case goes to trial and we don’t want to charge you for something you may not need.
In other instances, such as injury cases, our fees are contingent. This means we agree to represent you, and our fee will be a percentage of what we can recover on your behalf. If you don’t recover anything, we don’t get paid. The fee agreement will state very clearly what our percentage is from the beginning.
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How often do you win your case?
I once had a client ask, “How many cases have you won?” Off the top of my head, I didn’t know. But, I can tell you lots about the ones I’ve lost. The ones that keep me up at night, the ones that replay in my head over and over, and the ones I’m hardest on myself about.
“Winning” in this world means many things; it can mean simply being able to put something behind you, or, on the complete opposite side of that spectrum, it can mean being validated that you were telling the truth or that you are worthy or accepted.
So, how many cases do we win? Far more than we lose, because we aim to know early on what you need from us, and we are up front with you on whether we can get what it is you need. And if we say we do feel like we can get you where you need to be, maybe it just means we aren’t the right fit for your needs, and that’s ok. I want you to walk away feeling heard, and sometimes that means we need to get you in the hands of someone else.
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Will you actually have the time to pay attention to my case? Will I actually work directly with you or a legal assistant?
In our firm, I feel no member of our team is more important than someone else. We all have a role to play in helping you, and each one of us has something to contribute. We all work on your case together, from scheduling appointments to court dates to figuring out the best way to work our way through a danger point in your case. And yes, you’ll be working with me, just not every step of the way. In the end, you’ll be working with all of us, because when we all share the heavy lifting, we can achieve great things.
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When is the best time to hire an attorney?
This depends so much on what kind of case and what is going on, but if I had to pick a point, I lean towards “earlier rather than later.” It’s not that we haven’t gotten involved in cases very late; it’s more that getting involved later leaves us in a position of “catching up” rather than “being ahead.”
Earlier in a case gives you the opportunity to prepare for what’s ahead, to address expectations, and to plan. Hiring a lawyer later in a situation can often lead to regret and remorse, emotions that only add to the stresses of being involved in the legal system. Speaking with a lawyer early means you have answers to processes you may not understand, and this can help alleviate some of that stress and help point you in the right direction.
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So much is changing in the United States right now. Why would investing in a lawyer right now be a good idea?
This depends a lot on what your needs are. With a lot of uncertainty in life, you also get a lot of stress; this could be stress over things like how do I protect myself or my family? Or maybe that stress comes from being charged with a crime for the first time ever and feeling overwhelmed at what could happen. Here at our office, we work with you to help ease that stress, to help lift from your shoulders and lighten your load. You’ve got enough to worry about without legal issues, which is why having a lawyer around can help take care of some of that worry.
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Would hiring a defense attorney be worth it if I’m guilty?
Just the other day, I had a potential client ask me this question on a simple misdemeanor (low crime) charge. Without hesitation, I said, “yes, it is worth your time.” Criminal convictions can have long-lasting consequences, and mitigating those consequences is just as important. “Winning” in a case like this may be working to get a charge reduced, a sentence lowered, or helping to understand or limit what happens to you outside the courtroom, in your work or with your family. Without someone to put your story in perspective, there is little chance the system is going to work to help you.
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Will you fight for the best result for your client or just the result that makes you the most money?
The client is always first at our firm. When it comes to helping you, our goal is to meet your needs in any case. As you may have already read, we do this early on in a case to make sure we can help you. When it comes time to discuss options in your case, you get to choose the path you want to take. We’ll provide you guidance on the risks involved with each choice and what to prepare for, but ultimately, you get to tell us which direction you want to go.
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Will you help me stay out of jail?
Jail is a scary place. It will take a toll on your mental health. Our goal in every case is to try to prevent you from spending time in jail. If we reach a plea deal in your case, sometimes we can negotiate alternatives to jail, such a community service. However, it would not be fair to say this happens in all cases. In some situations, an alternative to jail might not be possible.
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How do I afford an attorney when I’m sitting in jail?
We’ve had cases where someone wants to hire us, but they don’t have access to their finances while in custody, and these are difficult because we want to help, but we also can’t just dive into every case. Sometimes you can work with family or friends to get us on board and we do this through third party fee agreements. This is where someone else pays the fee but you are the client, our duty lies with you, not the person who paid your fee.
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How do I afford an attorney when I can’t even afford my medical bills from my injury?
In injury cases, we accept clients on a “contingent fee” basis. This means you don’t pay us up front or get a monthly bill from us. Instead, we take your case “contingent” on receiving our payment as your lawyer upon you receiving an award for your injuries. If you recover nothing, we don’t receive any payment. Our contingent fee agreements typically start at 33% and go up, depending on the type of injury case and the risk and time involved in pursuing it.
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Where do you find most of your clients?
Being a small rural practice, over 70 to 80 percent of our clients come in by word of mouth, people referring people to us. The balance comes from people who need a lawyer in a specific area and simply do a Google search.
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When will my case be over?
This is a good question, and the short answer is that “it varies.” Criminal cases can move quickly and can be over in a matter of weeks, whereas injury cases can take more time as they take a “back seat” to criminal cases in the legal system. Other times, I’ve seen criminal cases take much longer where there is a need to learn more about what happened in the case or in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the event. As a general rule of thumb here, criminal cases will typically be faster than civil cases.
Still Have Questions or Ready to Move Forward with Your Case?
Ready to get your questions answered or your case resolved? Contact NG Law Firm and let’s get started on the next chapter of your life. You can also visit our video page to see if your other questions have already been answered.
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