Choosing an attorney is a very personal issue.
An experienced lawyer has to be able to make you feel comfortable so that you can confide your legal issues to be resolved. Finding smart and cost-effective legal counsel is not easy. It is not a matter that can be left to luck. Finding a lawyer for someone who has no prior experience with legal proceedings or lawyers can be difficult and overwhelming.
How to find a good lawyer?
Phone? Friends advice? Luck? NO. Luck is not a plan. It is wise to inform yourself on how to choose an attorney. Approaching any lawyer and asking prepared detailed questions is better than approaching them exposing your legal issue right away. If you do not feel comfortable during your meeting, feel free to seek for another counsel.
Be sure not to feel intimidated. Remember, this is your future we are talking about. Detailed questions are a means to let you know the attorney you are interviewing. It will make you feel comfortable with the attorney you will choose. Listen to the lawyer's answers; do they look bothered with the questions? Do his or her answers satisfy your expectations?
Here is a short list of things you have to be sure to discuss:
- Area of specialization, number of cases handled before, outcomes
- Attorney's references
- Lawyer’s discipline: have they ever been called by an ethics committee, suspended from the practice. If so, for what reasons.
- How will you be informed about the progress of your case
- Budget, total costs for your case. Contingent fees
- Who will work on your case directly? Firm's resources
- Time, how long will your case take to be solved
- Your options to solve your issue with or without litigation
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