Did you know that the USA has the highest number of lawyers per capita of any country? There’s roughly one lawyer for every 248 people in the US at any given time.
In part, this means that the average US citizen knows a lot more about their country’s laws than the average citizen of another country. This many lawyers, however, also means there are a lot more bad lawyers you could be tricked into hiring.
If you’re hiring an attorney, ask them these five questions first to see if they’re worth the retainer fee.
1. Do I Have a Realistic Case?
If there’s an incident that you think applies in a legal sense, it’s important to check with your prospective attorney whether it actually does. They’ll take an incident report and measure it against the sources of law in the area of law they think applies.
Filing on the basis of an incident with no elements of illegality is a waste of time and the judge will simply throw the case out.
2. Will You Handle the Case Personally?
Before you hire an attorney, you’ll want to know how they will handle the case. Some offices let paralegals draft and organize paperwork under attorney oversight while in other firms, the attorneys do all the work.
In either case, you at least want to make sure that your attorney is always part of the legal team and process.
3. How Else Could I Handle This Problem?
A decent attorney will know if there are other ways to negotiate or arbitrate around your problem. Some problems need a lawyer, but many do not.
If your attorney has your best interests at heart, they’ll let you know about the alternatives. Filing a case (and especially litigation) is expensive and should ideally be the last resort.
4. Have You Handled Similar Cases Before?
Experience is a big part of getting legal expertise. If you’re hiring a personal injury lawyer, you’ll be more comfortable knowing they’ve handled cases in that area of law before and this applies to any area of law.
This is especially important if you’re going up against tough opposition or if you have a particularly difficult set of facts.
5. Can I See Your Track Record?
The last thing to do is check your lawyer’s honesty by asking to see their track or win record.
Withholding this information is a red flag, but if they give you info and it doesn’t back their claims from question 4, you may also be in the grips of a sub-standard attorney.
Making Good Choices When Hiring an Attorney
The three things you want in an attorney are expertise, transparency, and empathy. Finding a lawyer who listens well and who knows and cares enough to give you good information about every element (including alternatives) is the best way to ensure a smooth legal case.
Don’t hire an attorney who confuses you with legal terms and then leaves you in the dark; hire one you can trust.
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