When looking to hire legal representation there are several legal questions you want to ask to make sure that you are procuring a lawyer that has your best interests in mind. Hiring a lawyer can be daunting so here are a series of legal questions to ask.
Specific to Them
What is your education?
Finding out where they studied, what university they went to and what their chosen field of the law was initially will help you gain a better understanding of where the lawyer’s passion lies.
What is your area of specialty?
Although the lawyer may have chosen one field right out of school, chances are, his or her interests have changed and evolved along the way. You want to find a lawyer who specialties line up with the details of your potential case.
What is your expertise?
Many times, lawyers encounter other experiences and cases that will help you grow their field of knowledge. Knowing what they consider to be their expertise will narrow down your choices.
Specific to Your Case
How many cases have you handled with a problem like mine? What were the outcomes?
If the amount of cases similar to yours that the lawyer has handled is similar to the amount that have been lost, you may not want to stick with this one. You need a lawyer who win to lose ratio tends a lot more towards winning. Losing one or two similar cases in the beginning is okay, as long as the lawyer has learned from their mistakes and knows what kind of information they need in order to win a case like yours.
Will anyone assist you in my case?
There is a lot of work to be done in a case. A good lawyer will have either a second chair or assistants or at least paralegals to do the paperwork for them so they can focus on the aspects that actually win the case.
Is my solution workable or are there alternatives?
Even if the solution you have come up with is the best, you want a lawyer that will have his or her own opinions and use their knowledge of the law to explain to you why your solution is not in your best interest, or why it is.
Specific to You
Will my case disrupt my personal life?
You should feel comfortable asking personal questions pertaining to your life and how the whole thing is going to affect you.
Do you truly have the time and patience needed to deal with me and my case>
While you want a compassionate and kind lawyer helping you, you want someone who can be honest and forthcoming with you without beating around the bush. Lawyers are busy, we all know that, but an honest lawyer will be able to tell you exactly how much time he or she is willing to commit to your case. Finding out how much that time compares to his or her other cases will help you see how important your case is to them.
Specific to Money
How much are your fees?
Once a lawyer has offered a free consultation and understands your case, they should be able to give you a few estimates of how much they are going to charge and how it can be paid.
What are the things that would increase my payment?
Find out about any hidden fees or costs that you may not expect. The last thing you need during a stressful case is to find out that you owe more money.
May I see your retainer fee agreement?
Legal questions like these are good to ask so that the lawyer sees that you are serious and you know what you are talking about and are not just going to take their word for everything.
This should just about cover all legal questions you should ask a potential lawyer. Don’t settle down with the lawyer until you are confident in them and trust them to do their very best for you.