Surely if you’re in need of legal services or advice, you have questions.
A laundry list of questions.
But are they the right questions?
When you sit down for an initial consultation with a lawyer, the conversation will focus on topics related to the situation or legal action that sent you seeking advice in the first place.
But before you dive too deeply into the specifics of your situation, it’s a good idea to find out a little about the experience, and expertise of the lawyer you’re about to place a great deal of faith in.
Whether you’re planning a meeting with us here at Bosserman Law or another law firm, make the following list of questions a part of that list I mentioned above.
- How long have you practiced law?
Maybe an obvious question, but a vitally important one if your specific situation could become tricky, convoluted or otherwise out of the ordinary.
- What type of cases do you generally handle? What percentage of your practice is devoted to (the practice area in question)?
Plenty of lawyers are well versed in multiple area of the law, but if you’ve scheduled a corporate legal matter with the lawyer who helped you write your living will, this question is important.
- Other than a law degree, what kind of special training or knowledge do you have that might apply in my situation?
Lawyers like myself have multiple opportunities to enrich our knowledge base through specialized seminars, classes and more.
- What is your approach or philosophy to winning or representing a case?
Some lawyers are content with securing out-of-court deals or agreements, while others are intent upon “going for the kill”. It is important that your personal philosophy regarding the outcome of your case match your lawyer’s.
- What is the likely outcome in my case?
While no lawyer can see into the future, we can offer you an informed, honest evaluation of your case, complaint or action – and the results we believe you may be in store for.
- What are your attorney fees and costs, and how are they billed? Will a portion or all of my case be handled by paralegals or legal assistants?
It’s important that you clearly understand the terms of how – and how much – you’ll be billed. Don’t be shy about this topic. It’s okay to ask for clarification if you don’t completely comprehend the billing procedures and payment expectations.
The answers to these questions should go a long way toward helping you determine if the lawyer you’re consulting with is the right person to help you in this situation. I’d encourage you to ask me these and any other questions you’d like anytime you feel like you need legal advice.