10 Questions to Ask an Attorney before retaining them
Print this list off and take it with you whenever you are going to interview a lawyer that you want to potentially hire.
I have seen, and heard of, many people that find a lawyer either online. the yellow pages or a referral from a friend. They go to see that attorney and they retain them right on the spot and then weeks later they regret the fact that they did not do any research first. Here is the bottom line, there are more quality attorneys out there than there are bad ones. The problem is we only hear about the bad ones. That is why I am suggesting that before you hire an attorney ask some questions. I have provided you with a good list to start with.
- Have you handled cases like mine in the past? If yes, what is your experience?
- Based on your experience what are the possible outcomes you see in my case?
- Approximately how long do you see this case lasting before completed?
- What do need as a retainer and what is your hourly rate?
- Can you give me a ballpark figure of how much you think it will cost me for everything?
- Do you recommend mediation or arbitration?
- How often do we need to talk and how will you keep me informed of progress?
- In a couple of words, what type of approach will you
take to resolve the matter?- aggressive and unyielding
- more inclined to reach a reasonable settlement
- Who else in the office will be working on my case?
- Can junior attorneys or paralegals in the office handle some of the substantive legal work at a lower rate?
As always, remember that you can visit LegalBerry to search through different lawyers in your local area that can help you with your legal need.
