Ask questions. This article has been viewed 43,103 times. It is a red flag if your lawyer makes you feel like she is avoiding your questions or not being honest about your case. This will enable your attorney to best represent your interests. Understand that you will be charged for these discussions. Questions will vary depending on the issue, but in general ask about years in practice, experience with cases like yours, successful cases, support staff, and his policy on communication. They could, after all, potentially be making a lot more money in some other area of law. Should I Get A Lawyer For A Car Accident That Was My Fault? It’s also a good idea to find attorney familiar with the courts and laws of the area where you live. If the fired attorney won't do it, discuss it with your new lawyer. A: No. You Have Sought Career Advice From Lawyers. It is always preferable to locate an attorney who has specialized expertise in the practice area that your case involves (e.g., malpractice law, bankruptcy law, etc.). How Much Do You Know About Tort Law? Don't expect to locate a good lawyer by simply looking in the phone book or reading an advertisement. Learn from the experts with wikiHow Pro Videos. Your lawyer has to be selected carefully. promptly return phone calls and answer your questions. The one exception is a question that is time sensitive. You have a right to expect competent representation from your lawyer. One of the first considerations that attorneys and clients should factor in is the chance of prevailing on the issue of liability. provide a timeline for important events, and. No matter how experienced and seasoned the lawyer is, he cannot and should never be sure of the outcome of your case. And some legal services organizations do. This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Unless it is an emergency, keep your calls to business hours. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. To ensure you and your attorney agree on what is reasonable, talk about a communication schedule. Defense attorneys are uniformly busy people, but, if they're any good, they will make time to talk to their clients. You will be either sent a refund or a bill. Quiz; How Good is Your Latin Legal Vocabulary? Ask questions. Use the meeting to determine whether the attorney is honest and forthcoming. However, every case has at least two sides. If you call or write your lawyer with a question, it is reasonable to expect an answer within two business days. How Good Is Your Legal Vocabulary? There are many ways to find a reliable lawyer. Your lawyer should be able to break down the legal issues into language you can understand. Learn as much as you can about what lawyers do and all the walks you can pursue with a law degree. Doctor of Law, University of Wisconsin-Madison. In a complicated case, it may be periodic face-to-face meetings. When you hire a lawyer, your chances of overpaying are considerable, according to one legal expert. Do your diligence before applying and while attending. Your new lawyer can't appear on your behalf until the judge has released your first lawyer. Be aware, however, that each legal case is different and that a lawyer who is right for someone else may not suit you or your legal problem. References. Your attorney is not overconfident in the outcome of your case. Remember that your lawyer can't read your mind. % of people told us that this article helped them. Many issues can be worked out in a face-to-face meeting. This is an important, but often-overlooked question. Speak up and ask questions. The staff member is bound by confidentiality and can handle routine questions and requests for information. Address the letter formally, as you would any other letter, with your name and address, the date followed by the attorneys name and address. When lawyers try to hide things from their clients, that can often mean there has been a procedural mistake, like missing a court-imposed deadline, and the attorney is scrambling to fix it before the client finds out. You should go to the website of the state bar association or call them and ask the procedure. Evaluating Your Attorney After the Case Begins, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Decide-if-You-Have-Hired-the-Best-Attorney-for-Your-Issue-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Decide-if-You-Have-Hired-the-Best-Attorney-for-Your-Issue-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4b\/Decide-if-You-Have-Hired-the-Best-Attorney-for-Your-Issue-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid26229-v4-728px-Decide-if-You-Have-Hired-the-Best-Attorney-for-Your-Issue-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"