Years ago if you wanted to hire an attorney you either looked for a referral from someone you knew or looked in the local Yellow Pages. With the proliferation of attorneys in the market and attitudes towards attorney advertising changing the problems is not so much scarcity as it is who to trust among the thousands of attorneys that are at your fingertips. As you do your due diligence in selecting an attorney here are three questions you should make sure to ask your potential lawyer.
1. Have they handled a case like yours before?
Seems like a no brainer, but you would be surprised how many people are so overwhelmed with their issue that they neglect to ask this question. Its important to be as specific as possible when asking if the attorney has handled a case like yours before. For example, instead of asking have you handled a divorce case before you might ask “have you handled a high net worth divorce case” or “have you handled a custody case where the other party is out of state with the children.”
2. Have they had any disciplinary action taken before them?
It is imperative to make sure that the attorney you select has a good track record and what better way to find out what they are about then finding out if they have a clean record with the Bar. If you feel uncomfortable asking directly, then you may want to use an attorney directory to find out. Many directories such as Nolo will indicate if an attorney has had any disciplinary actions taken against them. You can also contact your local bar association and ask.
3. What will the attorney’s strategy be for your case?
This is a good question to determine whether your attorney’s proposed actions will follow your wishes. Perhaps you want to settle, but an attorney would rather drag the case out knowing he/she will benefit from the additional billable hours, or vice versa perhaps the attorney does not see the case as lucrative enough and wants to wrap it up as quickly as possible although that may not be the appropriate course of action.
If you need a family law attorney contact the Barkat Law Firm for a free consultation where we are more than ready to answer the above questions and any other questions you may have about your case.
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