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Finding the right Attorney can have significant
implications for you, your family and/or your business. Follow
these tips to help ensure you make the right choice.
Communicate with more than one Attorney about
your legal issue.
The best way to make a quality decision
about hiring an Attorney is to compare more than one option.
Evaluate the personalities, qualifications, experience,
resources, and other factors you feel will be required for a
successful outcome in your situation. Be skeptical of the
Attorney who seems to tell you only what he thinks you want
to hear. Good lawyers know that there are two sides to
almost every issue. They are trained to evaluate both and
give you a realistic appraisal. Do not be shy about asking
questions.
Consider hiring an Attorney who handles cases
like yours as a matter of everyday work.
The practice of law has become increasingly
specialized in recent years. Generally an Attorney who
concentrates his/her law practice in one or two areas will
be in a better position to achieve a good result than an
Attorney who claims to practice in many different, unrelated
areas of the law. The specialist will generally have the
office set up for that practice type and is more likely to
keep current with developments in the area. Feel free to ask
the Attorney what percentage of their practice is devoted to
the subject.
Consider hiring a local Attorney.
In some types of cases it is clearly better
to hire an Attorney who is located where the case is
pending. Sometimes, familiarity with local procedures and
personalities can help tremendously in formulating
strategies and predicting results. In other cases, hiring
local counsel does not offer any particular advantages.
Don’t base the decision entirely on financial
factors.
Some Attorneys offer below market fees
hoping to make up the difference in volume. Try to avoid
this situation since your case will probably not get the
same level of attention it would if handled by an Attorney
carrying a lighter caseload. Conversely, beware of the
Attorney who quotes a fee that is disproportionately higher
than all other Attorneys in the area. Chances are you won’t
receive a proportionate increase in quality of legal
services.
Does your Attorney have a good reputation?
You may be able to find out about the
reputation of the Attorney you are considering by asking
friends, acquaintances and even other Attorneys. Most people
will be happy to give their opinion about your contemplated
choice.
Is the lawyer you hire the one actually
handling the case?
Some Attorneys will accept your case and
then turn it over to a junior associate or even refer the
matter to another lawyer or Law Firm. Make sure you know in
advance who will be working on your matter and whether the
case will be referred out of the office.
Is there a conflict?
In some cases you may feel that you are in
agreement with another party but want to retain a lawyer
just to “make everything legal”. In almost every one of
these situations, it is probably best for each party to
spend the extra money and hire their own Attorney. With
separate Attorneys, serious potential problems are avoided.
Check for discipline.
Is there any pending action against the
Attorney? If there is a change in the Attorney’s ability to
practice law, it could seriously affect your case. Past
minor instances of misconduct should not automatically
disqualify an Attorney from consideration. Many top level
Attorneys have minor instances of discipline on their
records. Ask the Attorney about the issue that concerns you.
Make sure the fee arrangement is clear.
Clearly agree in advance on the fee
agreement. If the case is a percentage/contingency case,
clarify whether the fee is computed before or after costs
are deducted. If the fee is hourly, make sure you know
exactly what the hourly rate is. Try to get an estimate of
how much time will be involved. Although exact time
commitments are not possible, an experienced Attorney should
be able to give you some idea of how long the issue should
take to resolve.
Do not base your decision on advertisements
alone.
Attorneys are bound by ethical rules to be
truthful in advertising. Even so, you should make your
decision on factors in addition to the contents of ads. Many
quality Attorneys spend little or no money on advertising.
Review and compare the Attorneys’ qualifications and
experience before deciding.
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