Sunday, August 12, 2012

5 SUGGESTIONS FOR HAVING A GREAT ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

5 SUGGESTIONS FOR HAVING A GREAT ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

  1. Be honest! No one likes being lied to, but it's especially bad if the lies are first discovered in court. Fighting opposing attorneys and representing a solid case before a judge is a big task! The last thing you want is a lie uncovered or exposed in a Courtroom. It won't help your case and the Judge WILL remember. It's better to admit mistakes and take responsibility for them ahead of time. No one is perfect, but liars can quickly loose all credibility. This includes leaving out details or only telling part of the story. In the end, it doesn't help.
  2. Be polite! It might sound like something your mom or grandma told you when you were little, but being polite still goes a long way. Attorneys fight with a lot of people on your behalf. Just try to remember that your attorney didn't create the frustrating circumstances of your situation. Their job is to help you get through it with the best possible outcome.
  3. When your attorney requests information and/or documents, try to gather and deliver the information to their office as quickly as possible. A lot of things are time sensitive and ultimately you want the case finished as quickly as possible. Long delays can also cause your case to be "put to the side."
  4. Pay your bills! No one (including attorneys) wants to go to work and put in long hours of stressful work only to have their employer say "You're not getting paid!" Attorneys have families and bills to pay and their staff likes to take a paycheck home on Fridays as well. Please be mindful of your outstanding balances and pay them on time. If your unable, call your attorney and try to work out a payment plan.
  5. Limit daily phone calls/emails to your attorney. Attorneys know your stressed out about the situation and they are working to resolve it. While we do encourage good communication, excessively calling or e-mailing slows down the amount of work done overall and increases your own bill. On emails, try to save up questions/concerns as much as possible and send one email instead of emailing one question per hour for example. The attorney or law clerk should contact you with any new developments in your case. It is recommended that you check in 1-2 times per week when your case is very active.