Communication and your attorney

With any legal issue, you can expect a substantial amount of communication between you and your lawyer. Therefore, maintaining professional and timely exchanges with your attorney is imperative in seeing your legal matter handled appropriately.

During your consultation with the lawyer, discuss both your and the lawyer’s expectations and manner regarding communication. Do you prefer to communicate via phone or through email? Or, does your legal matter require that you meet with the lawyer face-to-face? How quick can the attorney respond to your questions or concerns?

There are other factors that may affect the efficiency of your communication with the lawyer such as the lawyer’s workload, the difficulty of your case, and the timeframe for your issue. It’s best to clear up any of these issues during the initial consultation so that you and the lawyer maintain effective communication.

If you have more questions about how to prepare for a consultation and how to communicate with a lawyer, contact the Riverside Lawyer Referral Services. We want to help.

If your matter is not in Riverside County, consider one of these alternative Lawyer Referral Services:

Brooklyn Bar Association

The Bar Association of San Francisco

Chicago Bar Association

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

“Honesty is the best policy” – opening up during the consultation

Some people aren’t sure how they should present themselves and their legal matters when meeting with a lawyer. Maybe they had some fault in the situation. Perhaps there are uncomfortable details in their circumstances. People may think that leaving out details that may incriminate them or make the lawyer uncomfortable would be beneficial as they would be presenting themselves in a “better light.” However, this is very counterproductive and concealing information from the lawyer can ultimately make the legal situation worse.

When you meet with the attorney during your consultation, it is important that you are completely honest with your case so that the attorney can fully understand your situation and give you the best advice regarding the next steps. Discuss the main points of your situation and do not hesitate to bring in information that you think may tarnish your image. The lawyer is there to help you and not judge you for your actions.

In addition, everything that you disclose to the lawyer is completely confidential and protected by the attorney-client privilege, even if you decide to not continue to work with the lawyer. All of the information that you provide is safe and it cannot be disclosed to anyone else without your permission.

If you have more questions or concerns regarding the types of conversations that you should have with a lawyer, please contact the Riverside County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services. For more legal information and updates, follow the Riverside LRS on twitter.

In case your matter is not in Riverside County, consider one of these alternatives:

Brooklyn Bar Association

Chicago Bar Association

The Bar Association of San Francisco

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

How long will it take? – Asking your lawyer to predict the timeframe for your claim

Do you have a legal matter that you want resolved, but are unsure if you want to put in the amount of time to come to a resolution?

When it comes to legal situations, a substantial amount of your and the attorney’s time is necessary in order to see it into completion. Legal matters tend to be multifaceted, and, depending on the complexity of the legal issue, compiling each of the necessary components can be time-consuming.

If you are unsure about the length of time that may be required for your legal matter, discuss these concerns with the lawyer during the consultation. The following questions may help you gauge the amount of dedication and time involved to resolve an issue:

How many parties are involved in the case?

What kinds of evidence need to be collected?

Do experts need to be consulted to evaluate the evidence?

Do there need to be witnesses for your legal issue?

By discussing the amount of time involved in your legal situation, you can be better prepared for the legal proceedings. For more information regarding legal services, contact the Riverside County Bar Association. Or, if you are outside of Riverside, consider discussing your questions and concerns with the Brooklyn Bar, the Chicago Bar, or the Bar Association of San Francisco.

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

Is there too much on your lawyer’s plate? – Considering the lawyer’s workload and how that affects your claim

Going through any legal matter is time-consuming and stressful, so it is useful to go over a timeline with the lawyer to help gauge the amount of time and commitment you and the lawyer need to put in. One thing to consider is the lawyer’s current workload. Does the attorney already appear to have numerous cases to handle? Would he/she be able to focus on those cases and take on yours and keep you informed of significant developments?

There are times when the lawyer’s workload may be very full and, if he/she is dealing with involved cases, then it may be challenging for him/her to put in the amount of attention in your case that you would like. For example, if you are talking with a family lawyer, his/her workload may not be as heavy if the family matters are being settled in mediation as these types of situations do not require obtaining extensive evidences and calling upon witnesses. However, if the cases are very involved and require court appearances, then the workload may be substantial as they require the lawyer to delve deeply into the issues.

While the lawyer is not able to discuss any of the cases with you, you should ask the lawyer to gauge his/her workload and the possibility of taking on your case as well. In particular, if you believe that your case is going to be involved, then you should definitely inquire if your lawyer will be able to put in the time and energy needed into your case. Being upfront about such questions is important because it will help prevent stresses later on.

If you need further assistance regarding finding the right lawyer for your case, or if you would like to talk about any questions regarding the Lawyer Referral Services, contact the Riverside County Bar Association.

If you have a legal matter outside of Riverside County, consider one of these alternatives: The Bar Association of San Francisco, The Chicago Bar Association, or the Brooklyn Bar Association.

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

Is my consultation confidential?

During the consultation with a lawyer, there is a degree of respect and professionalism that the lawyer will uphold in the meeting. Regardless if you and the lawyer decide to work with each other, when engaging in a professional legal relationship, everything discussed with the lawyer in a private meeting remains confidential.

For example, John has a consultation with a lawyer regarding a violent crime. He discusses the situation in detail with the lawyer, but ultimately chooses to go with a different attorney. However, everything that was discussed with John and the previous lawyer is still between them and protected by the attorney-client privilege and that lawyer cannot provide any information regarding their conversation to the new lawyer, law enforcement, trial proceedings, or anyone for that matter.

Because the consultations are completely confidential and privileged, you can feel free to discuss important (and even uncomfortable) points in more detail. Providing as much pertinent information as possible to the lawyer will allow him/her to give you helpful legal guidance regarding the proceedings.

For more questions or concerns regarding lawyer help and services, contact the Riverside County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.

If your matter is not in Riverside, try these alternatives:

• The Bar Association of San Francisco Lawyer Referral Service
• Brooklyn Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
• Chicago Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

Contingency Fees

Many people are under the assumption that hiring a lawyer is very expensive and ultimately not worth the trouble. However, during your consultation with the lawyer, depending on the type of case, you may find that he/she works on a contingency basis. This means that the payment is contingent on the outcome and the lawyer will not accept any legal fees unless your case is won.

Contingency fees are common when clients are being compensated for their pains such as personal injury or workers compensation. If you are facing financial strains with your legal situation with medical bills or lost wages, having a lawyer who works on a contingency fee basis may alleviate some of the stress.

Because contingency-based cases put lawyers at a high-risk, they tend to be more selective about which cases they choose to represent. So, you need to make sure you are prepared during the initial meeting regarding your claim so the lawyer can evaluate your circumstances.

Not all lawyers work on a contingency basis. For instance, civil lawyers and family lawyers tend to work on an hourly basis.

When finding an attorney through the Riverside Lawyer Referral Service, we can help match you with the right lawyer for your situation.

Not in Riverside? There are alternative Lawyer Referral Services at the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association.

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.

How do emotions have an effect when deciding whether or not to get an attorney?

It’s unlikely that someone would consider a legal matter as a joyous occasion. The process itself can be expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining. For many, deciding whether or not a lawyer is needed for the case can prove to be its own feat as there are pros and cons in a lawyer representing your case and you representing yourself.

One thing to consider is your emotional involvement in the case. Probably one of the most counterproductive things you can do during a legal dispute is to have your emotions overshadow your good sense. This may be even more problematic when personal relationships are involved in the matter such as a divorce, business dispute with family or a loved one, or estate matters. When being highly emotional about a case, people may make rash decisions, making the outcome even worse.

Having the right lawyer brings a necessary cerebral component to the legal situation and can help maintain a level of professionalism and objectiveness when evaluating the circumstances. In the end, this will benefit all of the involved parties.

If you have more questions regarding whether or not you should hire an attorney, contact the Riverside Lawyer Referral Services for more information.

In case you do not live in Riverside County and still would like Lawyer Referral Services, consider contacting the Bar Association of San Francisco, Brooklyn Bar Association, or Chicago Bar Association.

The materials in this blog are for informational purposes only, and are not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and should not be relied on as legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer if you need help with a legal matter and not rely on anything you read on this blog or elsewhere on the web.