How to Choose an Attorney & What to Ask?
Attorney & Advisor
"When you hire a lawyer, he or she will be working for you. Our attorneys are genuinely interested in your case and in giving you the best possible advice."
Once you’ve decided that you need to see an attorney, your goal should be to find a lawyer you are comfortable with as a person and as a professional. Our attorneys encourage our clients to proceed in the most cost-effective way. Contact MacDonald Law Firm.
Here are some tips from MacDonald Law Firm on how to choose and what to ask an attorney:
- Find their website! Websites provide information including experience, areas of practice, contact information, locations and other information. How have you handled matters like mine?
- Ask the attorney for references OR get a referral or references from a friend or relative, preferably someone who has been a client or from another attorney you trust. Do you have an attorney network and other legal resources?
- Make sure the attorney has had experience in the area of law, for example, Divorce, Paternity, Adoption, Probate, Estate Planning, Personal Injury, Business or Criminal Law. What is your experience in this field?
- When you hire an attorney, you are hiring a service, not an outcome for your case. Be wary of attorneys who guarantee results - it’s not within their control. Our attorneys can tell you what to expect based on the areas of law you ask about. What are the possible outcomes?
- Ask the attorney to explain the legal steps in the proceeding and what you can expect whether it be Family Law, Adoption, Probate, Estate Planning, Personal Injury, Business or Criminal Law. What steps should I take?
- Find out the attorney’s philosophy on negotiation with the other side. Will the attorney recommend mediation or alternative dispute resolution? Will they work hard to resolve the case at the earliest point possible, and reach a settlement outside the courtroom? How will you keep me informed of my case?
- Find out how much the attorney charges, and ask for his or her best estimate on how much your case will cost. Ask for information on pricing legal services. Make sure the attorney is aware of your financial situation and ability to pay. How do you charge? Beyond fees, what kinds of expenses will there be?
- Will junior attorneys or paralegals in your office be able to handle some of the administrative work at a lower rate? Do you have paralegals, legal couriers, and notaries in your office? Will anyone else be working on my case?
- If you charge a fixed fee, for example for Estate Plans, Wills, Trusts or Criminal Defense matters, what is it - and what happens if something unforeseen occurs? If you charge on contingency, as in Personal Injury or Employment Law matters, what percentage of a settlement or award will that be - and can that be taken after expenses are deducted. What is a ballpark figure of my total bill?
- Can I do some of the leg work? What other information do you need from me about my Family Law, Adoption, Probate, Estate Planning, Personal Injury, Business or Criminal Law case. How can I help you help me?
- Do you recommend mediation, dispute resolution or arbitration? What are my alternatives?