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There are many lawyers out there, and choosing the right one can be very difficult. Of course, I hope that you
consider choosing my office to assist you. But whether you choose myself or another lawyer, there are some basic guidelines
that I think everyone would agree with:
- Your lawyer's job is to help you understand your rights and obligations in a given situation, help you to decide
how you would like the situation to be resolved, and then to help you reach that resolution. Your lawyer can only do this
by listening to you and understanding you and your situation. You lawyer must be a good listener before he or she can be a
good advocate.
- No lawyer can guarantee any result or outcome. Legal proceedings are complex and very difficult to predict. Your
lawyer should always be honest with you about the possibility that you may not be able to achieve the result you want. Any
lawyer who guarantees success, promises that he or she can always get you more money than other lawyers, or fails to
inform you of the possibility that things may not go your way is doing you a disservice, and is probably acting unethically.
- You should not choose a lawyer solely on the basis of price. When you are sick, you do not try to find the cheapest
doctor in town, and for good reason. Your lawyer's fees should be based on his or her availability and expertise, and on the
complexity of the matter. A good lawyer is worth every penny. A bad lawyer can make a bad situation worse.
- You should choose a lawyer on the basis of his or her desire and ability to help you, and his or her experience,
qualifications and reputation. Your lawyer should be accessible to you, and should readily answer any questions that
you have. Your gut feeling can tell you a great deal.
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