The Margaret Hudson Lawyer Program

A Personal Injury and Criminal Law Training Program

In life it is very possible that at certain times you have to require the services of a lawyer. It can be for a specific case, such as the preparation of a contract with a supplier or the defense of a trademark or patent.

Before choosing the San Diego defense lawyer, you should not only look at the money you have to pay for it. If you ask the candidates these questions that we propose, they will help you make the right decision:

1. How many years have you been in the profession?

Knowing this will help you to calibrate your preparation to meet your needs.

2. What experience do you have in the sector for which you need it?

It is important that you know the specific legislation that applies to companies in your sector. It will help you make better decisions.

3. When was the last time you have worked on something similar?

You may have had experience in your industry but take time away, which could leave your experience obsolete. He also values ​​the percentage of victories and defeats he has had in the trials in which he has intervened.

4. What equipment do you have to support you?

There has to be a balance between the team and its number of clients to ensure that you will pay the necessary attention and it will help you find solutions without making you wait.

5. Do you keep up to date with legal news?

You must be informed of everything that is legislated and what is expected to be legislated in reference to your sector.

6. What will be your communication with you?

That is, if you are going to visit or call regularly, how will you keep informed of your work and how long you will need to dedicate.

7. Do you have problems of conscience to defend yourself in certain circumstances?

Obviously, you will not ask him to commit irregularities. It’s about always being on your side.

8. What is your usual strategy?

It helps you to know if there is harmony between your way of working and yours.

9. Are you recognized by your colleagues?

Have you appeared in any professional publication? If so, ask him to show them to you to have another element of judgment.

10. What are your fees?

The answer to this question must justify the previous ones and it will serve you to evaluate balancedly between your budget and the experience and value that your company may need.

If you ask these questions of your future lawyer, you will ensure a more satisfactory outcome for the future of your business.

For the first time you sit face-to-face with the lawyer for the first time, or at least have a long telephone conversation with him if a personal meeting is not possible. 

Pay particular attention to whether the chemistry between you and the specialist lawyer is right.

Is the lawyer generally sympathetic to you? 

Some people are like you at the first meeting equally disagreeable and that is not a good basis for a trusting relationship between lawyer and client.

Do you feel taken seriously by the lawyer? 

The lawyer should take your concern, your fears and your worries seriously, even if it is an extraordinary event for you, but for him more or less unspectacular professional life. With all expertise, the attorney should therefore be able to explain all the context to you and never leave you in the dark about what is happening in your case.

Does the lawyer listen to you attentively, does he ask questions, or does he feel that he is chatting too quickly and uninterestedly? 

Do you feel that the specialist solicitor is really interested in your case or does he interrupt you, not listen to you and treat your case in a well-established pattern? Any legal problem has its own peculiarities, so the lawyer should listen to you well, ask questions to properly grasp context, and not simply treat you and your case according to Scheme F.

Does the specialist lawyer make a concentrated impression, or is he not entirely with you and your business?

 
Does the lawyer take the time to consult and is he focused and completely with you? Or does he rather try to negotiate the conversation quickly and seems impatient and unfocused?

Do you get a clear answer when you ask about the costs?

 Do not hesitate to address the lawyer at the expense of his services. Of course, you can not expect the attorney to give you a bill amount on Heller and Pfennig in the first interview, but he should give you an open and honest assessment, without beating around the bush.

Can he give you an assessment of the matter and possible action strategies?

 Is the specialist attorney able to give you an honest assessment of your case? Sometimes the greatest benefit of a lawyer is not to do something for his client, but to prevent him from doing anything. For example, a lawsuit that would be fruitless from the outset would still bring in the lawyer’s money but would be completely counterproductive for you as a client, as you would lose money but gain nothing. 
Also, a judicial dispute should always be the end of a road rather than the beginning. A good lawyer will always discourage you from futile lawsuits and always try to reach an out-of-court settlement first.

Has he already handled other similar cases? 

Especially when it comes to a very specific case, ask the specialist lawyer just how much experience he already has in this particular field and how many cases of this type he has already dealt with.

Can you imagine trusting and working effectively with this lawyer? 

Get an honest summary of the previous questions. If you have a good feeling, you can imagine a good and trusting cooperation and if you are also satisfied with the lawyer’s professional competence, you should give him the mandate.

On the whole, it’s about the first interview that the lawyer can get an idea of you and your problem, but also that you can get an idea of the lawyer.

Of course, the question of how closely you work with the specialist solicitor also depends on how personal the legal problem is. If you need a defense attorney or a good divorce lawyer, you will probably have to divulge more about yourself and your private life than if you have an administrative or insurance dispute. In the former case, you should be able to build up a very good relationship of trust with your lawyer, while in the second case you are probably well served by a professional with whom you get along well on a professional level.

Therefore, listen to the initial consultation a little on your gut feeling and commit the lawyer only when the head and stomach give the green light.