Finances & Money

5 tips to choosing the right attorney

I can’t claim to be an expert in legal matters by any stretch of the imagination, but based on some recent experiences, here are some quick tips to choosing the right attorney:

1. Don’t be in a rush to pick the first one you call. Give yourself enough time to do appropriate research into each lawyer’s records and experience.

2. Compare rates. Do they charge a flat rate? Does that include travel and phone expenses? What extras will they expect you to pay?

3. Do they offer you their cell phone number? My recent experience left me wanting much more with regards to conversations with my lawyer about what to expect and what I should be doing.

4. Is he or she a gambler? This is a very relevant question because if there’s an area of uncertainty about your case, such as whether a certain piece of evidence could be argued, you don’t want your lawyer to take a risk with your future that you otherwise wouldn’t make. This leads me to the next tip…

5. Does the attorney explain the process (court, paperwork, expectations, etc.) to you very clearly and up front? Do they continue to keep you informed throughout the process? Personally, I can’t make educated decisions without being educated. If the lawyer doesn’t answer your questions clearly and to your liking in your first meeting, then expect that to continue if you hire them.

I think you’ll find these five tips to be quite helpful, especially when you’re in urgent need of legal counsel. Lawyers aren’t all slimy, but there’s enough of the bad ones that make the good ones hard to find.