Lawyers will often provide a free or very low-cost consultation to discuss the details of your situation and give you an opportunity to ask some basic questions about the attorney. This meeting should not only help you decide whether to go forward with a lawyer in general, but also whether you should proceed with this lawyer. If you later decide to hire the lawyer, you will go into a more detailed discussion of your case and ask more specific questions along the way.
Below are ten questions to ask your potential lawyer.
1. How long have you practiced law?
At a minimum, you’ll want to know about the lawyer’s expertise and whether the lawyer is a veteran or beginner attorney, for instance. Your legal issue may very well be handled by someone who is fresh out of law school, (or not). It all depends.
2. What type of cases do you generally handle? What percentage of your practice is devoted to (the practice area in question)?
You’ll also want to know about a lawyer’s expertise and how much of the attorney’s practice is devoted to topic area your legal issue falls within. For example, if you need help with an adoption case, you may wish to seek a family law lawyer who has worked on, well, adoption cases. Click here for a full list of practice area definitions.
3. Who is your typical client?
This is an important, but often-overlooked question. For example, if you are an individual with a particular legal problem, but the attorney your meeting with represents only corporations, this may not be the best lawyer for you. Likewise, you may wish to know the financial background of some of the lawyer’s clients. This is because there may be different issues a lawyer is used to factoring when working with high net-worth individuals vs. college students.
4. How many cases have you represented that were similar to mine?
Now is not the time to act shy. Feel free to ask about the attorney’s track record, such as the number of cases won or settled, for example.
5. Other than a law degree, what kind of special training or knowledge do you have that might apply in my situation?
Some cases, like DUI and patent cases, require specialized training and knowledge for effective representation. Be sure to inquire whether your case fits into that category.
6. What are your attorney fees and costs, and how are they billed? Will a portion or all of my case be handled by paralegals or legal assistants? If so, ask about reduced costs.
This step is obviously an important one. You’ll want to know whether you can afford the lawyer’s services and how you will be required to pay. This is also the time to ask about payment options and how often, and under what circumstances, you will be billed.