In the unhappy event you need legal advice or services, here are a few dos and don’ts you might want to consider when choosing a lawyer and developing a productive relationship with them. Friends and family who have staggered through a case will surely have lots of thoughts to share with you.
Do look into the background and reputation of any lawyer you are thinking of hiring.
If a friend or associate tells you they have had a good experience with a particular lawyer, that counts for a lot. You can discover important information online, including whether the lawyer has been accused of wrongdoing or negligence. Lots of information can be obtained from the Connecticut Bar Association, which can assist you in finding a lawyer. Disciplinary histories can be found on the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch website.
Do insist your first meeting be in person. Talking on the phone or on Zoom or another online platform is not sufficient.
In my view, this is very important. The relationship that evolves with your lawyer will be one of the most important relationships in your life. I’m old-fashioned. I believe in eye-to-eye contact. I believe in intuition. I believe that hiring a lawyer without personally sizing them up is a mistake. They may be perfectly adequate on paper but you may not like how they talk to you or treat you or present themselves.
The relationship with your lawyer can be an intimate one. You may spend lots of time together and disclose very private information to them. If a lawyer doesn’t have the time to meet personally, that is a giant waving red flag. By the way, be sure to find out if you are being charged for the first meeting and if so, how much. Then find out at what rate you will be billed if the lawyer takes your case. Don’t be shy. You have every right to ask these questions.
Do insist that your lawyer return your calls and emails. Lawyers are very busy, juggling many important issues in many different cases. Humans being human, everyone thinks their case is THE most important case. Don’t deluge your lawyer with constant questions and complaints. But if you have an important question, you are entitled to an answer. Remember that patience is a virtue.
Do try to find a lawyer who has handled a case similar to yours, or who is an expert in the relevant area.
Experience is a great teacher. Depending on your case, it is usually advisable to hire a lawyer who is familiar with the legal issues presented. Especially in highly specialized cases, experience is often critical. If you have a serious medical malpractice case, for example, it is advisable to hire someone who practices in that area.
I am not suggesting that other lawyers who practice in other areas aren’t capable of handling your case, but different kinds of cases clearly call for different areas of expertise. You wouldn’t want to hire a tax lawyer to represent you in a criminal case or a medical malpractice attorney to handle a divorce.
Don’t choose a lawyer because you like their advertisements.
The quality of an advertisement bears no relation to the quality of the representation that lawyer will provide. Ads may attract your attention, but don’t be unduly influenced by them.
Don’t listen to every bit of advice friends and family offer.
Obviously, if someone you know has utilized a lawyer’s services in the past, they can provide you with valuable information about that attorney. And often, gems of advice can assist you as you travel into what can be frightening legal terrain, especially if a friend or associate has had to navigate through a similar legal landscape.
But use your discretion in deciding to whom you should listen. With the best of intentions, people can sometimes offer the worst advice. I would be particularly cautious about legal advice given to you by your nonlawyer friends. Once you have hired a lawyer, it is best to listen to his or her advice, until and unless you lose confidence in what you are being told.
Don’t second-guess your lawyer based on your online research.
I confess that I have on occasion done some reading about a medical problem before consulting a doctor and sheepishly told them that I had a few questions based on a Google search. I am usually greeted with a smile and an explanation of the myriad ways in which I misunderstand my problem.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn all you can about a medical problem, or a legal problem, or a plumbing problem, for that matter. But it is good to remember that while laypeople can gather information online, reading it is different from understanding it. My 30 minutes of researching a medical problem can’t compete with the thousands of hours of training physicians undergo. I suggest trusting your lawyer or doctor more than Attorney Google or Doctor Google.
Don’t expect miracles.
Real life is not television. You have a right to expect your lawyer to work hard for you and obtain a good result. But lawyers cannot conjure up a spectacular result out of nothing. In other words, lawyers have to play the hand they are dealt. They have to work with the facts of your case — good, bad, or indifferent — and the legal doctrines involved.
Just like a skilled poker player, a good lawyer may occasionally turn a losing hand into a winning hand. Or they may minimize the harm you suffer when the facts and law are against you when you enter into the legal world. In most instances, it is impossible to predict, at the beginning, how things will turn out in a contested case. It pays to have realistic expectations, and be guided by reason, not by your raw emotions.