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| Most Common Questions | Lawyer must use simple, plain language with the client. A lot of attorneys are so used to technical language they use it with clients who don't understand it. It's good to have a lawyer who wants to discourage you from filing a lawsuit, and who regards litigation only as last resort after mediation and arbitration have failed to resolve a dispute.
Eventually, whatever style test you relate, the best guide may be your instincts. Attorneys are, after all, people, and there are some people you're more comfortable with than others.
4. Is the lawyer's expertise and experience compatible with my needs?
You can find someone who is sincere and competent and whose style appeals to you — but that doesn't mean you've found the right lawyer. You also need to settle on that they're experts in the area of law most appropriate to you or your business.
During your first consultation, ask the attorney to spell out some of the cases he has handled that are similar to your situation. And don't waver to ask for the names of other clients and for their contact information.
Any lawyer who rejects to let you talk with past clients has just raised a red flag. Look elsewhere.
State bar associations are the best place to get referrals for attorneys who specialize in a particular area of practice. She is wary of for-profit referral services because it's never quite clear whose best interests are in the forefront.
5. What if I'm unhappy with the service I receive?
The first things trustworthy attorneys do is tell prospective clients about the state's legal disciplinary system. If the lawyer doesn't bring it up, you should feel free to do so. It is something every honest attorney will confess off the bat.
And once you've thinned down the field of prospects, it's not a bad idea to contact the state agency to find out whether complaints have been filed against a particular attorney and, if so, what the outcome was.
There you have it, a simple procedure to follow before you hire an attorney.
You don't have to be a lawyer to find a good one.
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