Evaluating Attorneys – Top 5 Myths
Myth #1 — I Need the Most Expensive Attorney Money Can find.
Everyone wants a Rolls Royce, but most of us can only afford any Hyundai. When you interview a good attorney, ask what their costs are and their estimate of the total fees. If you feel that his or her fees are higher than you can pay for, ask them for a referral to someone who is less expensive. Attorneys usually refer clients to other practitioners for this and other reasons and a good lawyer does not take it wrong if you want to go elsewhere.
Myth #2 — Lawyers Can Do Anything.
Many attorneys have a certain legal expertise, such as estate planning or immigration. Specialist law practices which practice a certain kind of law often have a lower cost to do business than a general services law firm given that they sharply focus on one area involving law. On the plus side, they do not have to start from square one to find out how to deal with your particular legal issue.
Myth #3 — Younger is Better.
Someone fresh from law school has an excellent grasp associated with current law, but a newly-minted attorney may not have experience dealing with your particular legal issue. Unless they are working in a firm with other attorneys that they can call on for advice, you might want to give a amateur practitioner a pass.
Myth #4 – Older is Better.
If someone continues to be practicing law for decades, you will make use of their broad experience. Conversely, if they have not kept up their knowledge up to date you might want to hire a roofer more turbo. If the attorney does not have a pc in his or her workplace and their secretary is flicking through a rolodex at their workplace for phone numbers, you might want to maintain looking.
Myth #5 – Only a great Attorney Is Qualified to Deal with My Legal Problem.
Many law practices have legal assistants or legal specialists who do the grunt work of a case, whether it is gathering information or organizing initial drafts of highly technical filings. Well trained legal technicians help keep costs down in your case. When you are interviewing an attorney, ask what percentage, if virtually any, of the case work will be done by paralegals or legal assistants. Unless the attorney can give you peace of mind that he or she has an excellent legal support team, you should keep hunting.