Expert Advice When You Need It Most
Posted over 3 years ago. 0 helpful votes, 0 comments
1
Define your legal problemIn order to ask for someone for help, you first need to establish what your specific needs are. Some legal actions are very straightforward ("I want a divorce"), while others may be a bit more complex ("Do I need a trust?"). By defining your legal problem beforehand, consulting with the right attorney will be less expensive and time-consuming. The attorney will appreciate it as well, as s/he will not waste your hour of consultation trying to figure out why you're sitting in their office. 2
Ask for referralsOnce you have defined your legal problem, ask around for referrals to attorneys that specialize in that area of the law (e.g., family law attorneys). If you have no direct referrals from friends or family, call your local Bar Association for help, or utilize the internet to explore attorney referral groups in your area. Find 2 or 3 attorneys to call for a consultation. 3
Do your homeworkEven if your cousin's neighbor's boyfriend's hairdresser sings the praises of her attorney, that doesn't mean that she will be the right choice for you. Check out this referred attorney as thoroughly as you can by using the resources as described above, then contact her for an appointment. When you arrive at her office, bring everything that you feel is important to your case with you, so that she can review the matter as completely as possible from the outset. Incomplete information leads to advice that may be well-meaning, but mis-guided. Do everyone the favor of being prepared to discuss the details of your matter in your first meeting; it will be more productive, and the attorney will be better able to inform you of your next course of action, or just as important, whether you have a case at all. 4
Listen to your gutThe attorney/client relationship is just that: a relationship. Finding the right person to assist you through the legal process can often boil down to personality, as there may be literally thousands of qualified attorneys in a given field in your area. Do not hire a lawyer because of their reputation as a "pitbull" or some other mammal, unless that is your reputation as well. Rather, find someone that you can work with as a team toward your goal of prevailing in your lawsuit, protecting your rights, or whatever your issue involves. Communication is key: if you don't feel that the attorney you've interviewed is "on the same page" as you, or if they are not interested in hearing the details of your case or recognizing your concerns along the way, then you need to look elsewhere. 5
Sleep on itAfter you've met with a few lawyers, reflect on each meeting. Ask yourself : Was the attorney interested in your case? Did they each have the same generalized opinions of how to proceed? Did you feel comfortable with them personally (did you 'click'?). Be careful of the attorney who promises everything, but whose advice doesn't seem to fit in the pattern of what you've heard; too good to be true is often just that. Be willing to hear that you may not have a good case, or that the outcome might be less than you desire. A lawyer who is honest with you in the beginning is a keeper: be wary of the guy that is gleefully willing to help you 'bury' your opposition. Judges expect fair play and courtesy from you and your counsel. You don't want to be tied to someone who has a bad reputation in court, but runs a good ad campaign on TV; it could hurt your case, and interfere with the settlement process if the other party's counsel has had prior, bad run-ins with your guy. 6
Don't wait until the last minuteDon't wait until the last minute to hire an attorney, or to call the one you have if a problem arises. If you've been served with documents, you usually have 30 days to respond. Don't wait until Day 27 to start calling around for help. This creates desperation on your part, and often, incomplete or poorly drafted responses by the attorney, who has only a few hours to file papers that would otherwise take days to prepare. If you have an emergency situation, the last-minute calls cannot be helped; attorneys are used to that. But, putting out fires is not effective litigation,and your lawyer can't always respond to you at the last minute in order to rescue you from a problem that could have been resolved through good communication beforehand. Remember that this is a relationship, and your attorney is not a mind-reader. Ongoing communication and cooperation throughout your case will keep costs down, diffuse problems, and get you to settlement more quickly (we hope!). Related Questions1 Attorney answers: 
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