how to get the most out of your attorney

Getting the Most From Your Attorney

• Do what we ask the first time we ask you. ...
• Do it in the manner in which we ask you. ...
• Write to us. ...
• Organize your own discovery responses. ...
• Organize your own file for your family law matter. ...
• Ask your lawyer for information ONCE. ...
• Keep a notebook of important information relevant to your case. ...
• Work with your soon to be ex to create packages for both parties. ...

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Full Answer

How do I get the most out of a lawyer?

Getting the Most out of Your Lawyer (Without Paying Extra!)Find a lawyer who 'gets it' or at least gets you. ... Clear Communication. ... Let them do what you are paying them to do - help you. ... Don't engage in side-negotiations without telling your lawyer. ... Speak to your lawyer before agreeing to a deal/offer.More items...•

What should you not say to an attorney?

Five things not to say to a lawyer (if you want them to take you..."The Judge is biased against me" Is it possible that the Judge is "biased" against you? ... "Everyone is out to get me" ... "It's the principle that counts" ... "I don't have the money to pay you" ... Waiting until after the fact.

What do attorneys fear the most?

Some of lawyers' most common fears include: Feeling that their offices or cases are out of control. Changing familiar procedures. Looking foolish by asking certain questions.

How do you make sure your lawyer is working for you?

Check your lawyer on legal sites such as Avvo or nolo, as well as on general sites like Google Places and Yelp! to see what other clients have to say. Search peer-review online databases such as martindale.com to see comments and opinions from other lawyers. 5. Get another lawyer's opinion.

How often should I hear from my attorney?

There is no set formula for how often you will hear from your attorney. However, the key to a successful attorney client relationship is communication. Whenever there is an important occurrence in your case you will be contacted or notified.

Why do lawyers ignore you?

If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.

Why do lawyers drop clients?

Lawyers can withdraw based on the fact their client refuses to be truthful, refuses to follow the attorney's advice, demands to pursue an unethical course of action, demands unrealistic results, desires to mislead the Court, refuses to cooperate with their counsel as well as countless other reasons.

Do lawyers lie for their clients?

In California, the Rules of Professional Conduct govern a lawyer's ethical duties. The law prohibits lawyers from engaging in dishonesty.

Is it normal not to hear from your attorney?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.

How do I know if my lawyer is lying?

How do you know a lawyer is lying?They tell you that they are known as the “best” at what they do. ... They guarantee you will win. ... They “specialize” in whatever your problem is. ... They call themselves a “father's rights” or “mother's rights” attorney in a custody case.More items...•

What are the four responsibilities of lawyers?

It describes the sources and broad definitions of lawyers' four responsibilities: duties to clients and stakeholders; duties to the legal system; duties to one's own institution; and duties to the broader society.

What is a Marsden hearing?

A Marsden motion is a formal request made by a criminal defendant to the court. The court hears arguments on the motion from the defendant and the attorney, without the presence of the prosecutor.

What do lawyers not like about clients?

But communication goes both ways, Correia adds. "What lawyers don't like about clients is learning things after the fact that would have been important had they known it," he says. "So clients staying in touch with lawyers is really helpful."

What does "don't cc the other side of the case" mean?

For example, don't cc the other side of the case when emailing sensitive information to the attorney. This ensures that you don't accidentally undermine the case the lawyer is building for you .

How to get a lawyer to give you a glimpse of their personality?

After you've vetted a lawyer online, schedule an initial meeting, or at least a phone call, where you explain your situation and the lawyer outlines what they would do about it if hired. This should give you a glimpse of their personality, how they treat clients, and their fees. You should note that advice you get at this meeting is not legal advice within an attorney-client relationship, but it's often protected by attorney-client confidentiality anyway.

What is the relationship between an attorney and the client?

One of the basic tenets of the relationship between an attorney and the client is that any information which passes between the two remains confidential. This concept is also known as the attorney client privilege. Based on early English common law, the idea of privilege is a simple one - a client maintains the privilege to refuse to disclose ...

What are the rules for a lawyer to keep their license?

To keep their law licenses, lawyers must follow state-mandated rules of professional conduct for the attorney-client relationship. One of these rules is attorney-client privilege, which means the lawyer can't disclose anything you discuss without your permission—not even to a court. According to the American Bar Association's Model Rules ...

How to find a lawyer you feel comfortable with?

To find someone you feel comfortable with, ask people you know and trust for recommendations, especially if they've hired a lawyer to handle the same kind of case. If you can't get any personal recommendations, look for a lawyer referral service from a local bar association. No matter how you find a lawyer, you should vet them.

What should a lawyer do?

Your lawyer should have basic competence in the kind of legal work you need, or consult someone who does. Your lawyer should not represent you while also representing someone whose interests are against yours. Your lawyer may not charge unreasonable fees (as defined by state law).

Practice Diligence

Before anything, you have to practice diligence for your clients. So how do we define diligence in the context of client-attorney relationship? For starters, it means performing to the best of your ability when handling their case — being thorough, being transparent, and being as prompt as you can.

Pay Attention to Details

The devil is in the details. Attorneys are all-too familiar with this idiom. From your operational duties to your billable work, one seemingly minute overlooked detail could play a key role in your client’s case or conflict. However, with so much on your plate, it can be challenging to stay on top of it all.

Manage Your Time Wisely

In a busy practice, every second on the clock is valuable. Making the most out of your time will increase your efficiency, avoid lawyer burnout, and in turn, create happier clients. To that end, accountability for your time is key.

Make It Easy To Get Ahold of You

One typical complaint that clients have about their legal counsel is inaccessibility; they seem impossible to get ahold of for legal advice or a quick legal question. This is understandable, of course, since lawyers are spread in 10 different directions at any given moment of a day.

Make Document Signing Simple

One of the biggest hiccups of the client intake process is getting documents signed. After all, asking your clients to print, sign, scan, and send back to you isn't always easy for their schedules. The easier you can make it for them, the more likely they are to be happy with your services.

Allow Them to Self-Schedule

There's nothing more frustrating than trying to find an appointment time that works for both you and your client. In many cases settling on something that accommodates both of your schedules can result in a long, drawn-out string of emails getting nowhere.

Make Sharing Files Easy

Digging through emails trying to find the right attachment is exhausting, not to mention disorganized. Make it easy to send and receive critical case files and confidential information securely by sending links to your client where they can upload files directly to the client portal.