So you’re ready to meet with an attorney about your personal injury, auto accident, or motorcycle accident? You have questions and are ready to get counsel, but it can help to know ahead of time a little more about what to expect, not only of the lawyer, but what he or she might be looking for from you.
Here are some of the things your attorney may be looking for from you:
- 1. Honesty
This may seem to be a more obvious answer, but it is still very important. An attorney can only assist you if all the information that you provide is accurate. Attorney-client privilege means that anything you share will be kept in confidence, so be as complete as possible with your facts–whether or not they portray you in a favorable light.
- 2. Timeliness
Law firms take on multiple clients by carefully budgeting out enough time for each, which means that each lawyer must pay close attention to how they spend their time. Be on time for your appointments, and use your phone calls and in-person meetings wisely, discussing relevant details and avoiding petty matters.
- 3. Open to counsel
Since you are coming to your attorney expressly for their expert advice and guidance, it’s important that you are also willing to listen to what they say with a willingness to follow their recommendations. This will help them better represent you, which also gives you a better chance at a successful claim.
- 4. Appropriate expectations
Understand that lawyers can never guarantee results when it comes to a contested matter. They will likely be able to give you a summary of the likely possibilities and a good idea of what your odds look like, but cannot make any promises about what could happen between filing the lawsuit and the final results.
- 5. Patience
Legal matters are very rarely straightforward processes, and there’s not really such a thing as an “open and shut” case. Every case requires time and research, and during settlement talks or the trial, many additional twists and turns can arise to change the focus, prolong the process, or call for additional resources. One of the best things you can do for yourself and for your lawyer is to begin the proceedings with the understanding that this could take a while.
- 6. Reasonable compensation
You lawyer and their team of legal support staff and colleagues in their law firm will be working tirelessly to pull together a case for you, after years and years in law school learning how to be your advocate, and constant work keeping on top of new laws and changing precedents. You should expect up front to pay reasonable compensation for all of this and the dedication they will display in representing you.
As you prepare to meet with your lawyer, remember that they will be deciding whether or not yours is the right case for them. The more ready you are to be open, reasonable, and willing to stick with this, the more likely your first meeting–and your whole case–will go smoothly.
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