Are you looking for a good business attorney to represent you in a law suit? Well, finding lawyers can be a difficult thing. You have to know what you are looking for before you even start. The nice thing is that pretty much every law firm is going to offer you an initial, free consultation. Take them up on that. This is when a lawyer will meet with you and go over your issue and see if they want to take the case. You should also use the opportunity to find out if you like the lawyer and if you want to hire the firm. Here are a few things that you can look for in any lawyer, not just business attorneys.
Being present at the initial interview.
There are several ways that an initial interview could go. If a business lawyer turns up and spends the entire time on their phone, tablet or laptop, this is a bad indication. Either, they are way behind on work and don’t have time to stop for an hour to listen to your situation or they just plain aren’t interested in taking the case. In which case, you should say your goodbyes and leave. The same goes for if they don’t even show up but send a legal aid or paralegal in their place to find out what the appointment is about before than find time to meet with your personally.
Asking questions during the consultation.
Unfortunately, business attorneys and DUI lawyers and car sale lawsuits all need lawyers who are willing to ask questions. For some reason, it’s a common misconception for lawyers that they need to not be asking questions. However, this is the only way that they are going to be able to clarify your story and understand the things that are not getting through to them. The more questions they ask pertaining to your situation, the more they are trying to understand it and that is a good thing. Hearing you out and then snapping their clipboard shut immediately with zero input or advice or questions is a red flag.
Answering questions during the interview.
Just like they should feel like they can ask questions, you should feel the same. A business attorney and others need to be approachable enough that you can sit down during that first meeting and spill your guts to them. However, once that part is over and they decide that they want your case; now is the time that you get to ask questions. Find out how long they have been an attorney for or how many wins they have had or have they ever had a situation like yours come up before and what they did about it then.
Honest after it’s all talked through.
After you have shared your story, asked your questions and answered theirs, it’s time for an honest assessment. If you do not have a case, you don’t want to be lied to and told that you do just so you can start paying the lawyer. This is very bad for business. You want someone that can honestly tell you if they think that you have a shot at winning the case. If you don’t, there’s no point in wasting your time and energy on a case that isn’t going to go anywhere.
So, now that you have the tips on what to look for in a good lawyer, how do you know where to find them?
- The best way to find a lawyer is through word of mouth. Someone else that has had a good experienced can tell you what they went through and you will likely get the same quality of care. Even if no one has had a good experience, at least you’ll know who to stay away from.
- Online ads always have lists of lawyers that you can call. Keep in mind that there are different types of lawyers for everything so you’ll want to narrow down your choices to attorneys that actually take your kind of case because some won’t. Don’t be afraid to talk about payment plans and how they expect their fee. That’s something that should be address immediately otherwise money is an awkward conversation to have later on in the process.
