What kind of results are you looking for?

We’ve blogged in the past about asking your attorney about experience and expertise. But it’s also important when meeting with an attorney for the first time to discuss possible results and potential outcomes.  What do you want to see happen at the end of your case? Do you want it to just go away? Do you want to “win”? Do you want to crush or punish the other side? These questions and your answers and the attorney’s answers depend on the kind of problem you’re dealing with, on the kind of case you have.

If it’s a family law case, crushing the other side may not be ideal in the long term, and it may not even be possible or realistic. In an accident case, it’s less about winning, and more about making sure you are compensated for any damages you have suffered, any out of pocket expenses, any work related losses. In a criminal case, it’s about making the best decision you can in your circumstances. That could mean taking a plea deal, going to trial, or maybe even testifying against someone else. It will all depend on the situation you are facing. What’s most important is that you develop a good, working relationship with the person you hire to be your attorney.

Ideally, you need to feel that you’ve hired a competent, skillful advocate, that you trust that person to guide you appropriately through your legal problem and that you’re both on the same page about your ultimate goal(s). The way to get there is to talk with your attorney frankly, prepare a list of questions before your consultation appointment. Go slow and ask about the case itself, the attorney’s qualifications, their approach to practice, your goals and money, of course, how much it will cost, how will it be paid, but that’s a post for another day.  

So what do I ask my attorney?

So I'm sitting in an attorney's office with a load on my mind. I've got a problem or I wouldn't be here. Where do I start? What should I ask? There are lots of things to consider when considering hiring a lawyer and we'll tackle just a few questions today and a few more in subsequent posts. 

Expertise & Experience 
First off, consider expertise and experience and by that, I mean skills to manage the case successfully and actual experience handling your type of legal problem. Ideally, you need both from a lawyer who is to represent you. While lawyers can never guarantee a successful outcome (and beware of those who do make such promises), don't be afraid to ask questions

about your potential attorney's skills in the area of law: how many years in practice, any specialized training or courses in this area of practice? How much of the practice is devoted to these kinds of legal problems? What kind of results has the attorney achieved?

Options for the Case
Be sure to ask about possible case resolution options. Is there only one way to solve, fix, end this? What are my legal options? Must we go to court and litigate? Can we resolve this issue any other way? Can we mediate? Can we arbitrate? What's the difference?  How much time does the attorney spend on non-court resolution methods? What's the attorney's preferred strategy? Hard ball or negotiation?  It's also very important to ask yourself what style you're comfortable with and how you want to approach your legal issue.

Food for thought. More to follow. Stay tuned.