How do you choose a lawyer? Georgia offers a wide selection of many qualified lawyers, so how do you know which one is right for you? What factors do you consider in selecting someone to represent your interests? There is no one right way to answer this question; however, as a lawyer, I am listing some of the factors that I would consider if I were selecting a lawyer. Factors like experience in the area of the law, trial expereince, years in practice, are issues we all know to consider. What this comment is addressing are some of the less obvious factors that someone may not think about at first blush.
First, a lawyer represents her client’s interests. Unlike a surgeon who is doing her best work while her patient is asleep, a lawyer needs to understand and interact with her client to best represent the client. In this regard, I would select someone that I can communicate with; someone that I felt comfortable with; and someone that I felt understood my case and the issues involved. Also, I want a lawyer who understood what I wanted to get out of my case in terms of recovery and in terms of whether I wanted to go to trial, or would prefer to settle out of court.
Second, I would select a lawyer I could contact. Everyone is busy, but you should be able to reach your lawyer when you need to speak with her. Today is a day of instant communication, there are emails and mobile phones, paging services, voice mail, etc. And when I say speak to your lawyer, I mean your lawyer, not the assistant, the paralegal or the secretary. This does not mean that you have to speak to your lawyer everyday, but when you have a problem, a concern, or some issue that needs to be addressed, you want to be able to reach your lawyer.
When I first started practicing, I went to a seminar by a renown plantiff’s lawyer. He said that he does not take calls from his clients, and he lets them know that up front. He said that he was their lawyer, not their friend, and he could not represent his client if he was on the phone with them all the time. That was why he had assistants. At the time, this sounded very wise, like tough love. However, as I practiced, I realized that I could not represent my clients’ best interests if I didn’t speak to them about the major issues that concerned them. I can’t work if I am on the phone all day, but I have found that most clients respect their attorney’s time, so asking their lawyer to be available for consultation on occasion is not unreasonable.
Third, I would want to make sure that the lawyer I hire is the lawyer actually doing the work on the case. There are so many parts of a legal claim that can be delegated to para-professionals and associates. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to ask a lawyer if he/she is going to actually be doing the work on your case, such as discovery, depositions and drafting motions.
Lastly, I would go with a lawyer that I liked. You are going to be sharing very personal and private information with this person. You are going to be going through some difficult times under this individual’s guidance. Once you have narrowed down to the group of lawyers who have the experience and knowledge to handle the claim, the best choice is the lawyer who you feel the best with.
