Don’t Pick an Attorney Before Reading This
Entering into any legal situation can bring a mountain of unwanted stress into your life. It’s scary to face police, court, prosecution, or litigation when there are twists waiting around every corner for you. The right attorney, however, can make all the difference and take some of the stress off your shoulders.
The problem with this equation is that so many people don’t know what to look for when hiring an attorney. There are so many options out there, with law firms selling you from several different angles. Even if you don’t choose Elder Advisors Law, we want to make sure you have the best advice as you sift through the noise and pick the attorney for your situation.
Seek attorneys who educate clients
Some attorneys will take your case and run with it. They’ll do the work and tell you not to worry about it. This can seem appealing upfront because you won’t have to do as much work and can go on with your daily life. However, this practice exposes you to two specific risks: you essentially get nothing if your case is lost and you aren’t prepared to handle or understand how to avoid these legal issues in the future.
If your case is lost and your attorney handled the whole case, you will walk away with nothing to take with you. Your attorney didn’t walk you through the actions and filings, so you have no real way of fully understanding what did or didn’t work. This puts you in a hole should you need to appeal the decision. Even if you win your case, you may not be prepared to avoid the mistakes that got you into the legal situation in the first place. An attorney who wins your case should be celebrated, but if they aren’t able to help you better yourself in the future you aren’t getting a great value for your money.
Instead, you should look for attorneys who pride themselves on educating clients. You don’t need an attorney who explains every single thing they do, but you should be informed of the decisions being made that can impact your life and freedom. If your attorney educates you through the process, you’ll get better value out of the money you’re paying them. Always remember: knowledge is power. This is especially important for estate planning where your plan needs to be updated and/or funded over time.
Look for specialists
Some people want one attorney to handle all of their legal situations. This can be convenient and there’s no denying having a great relationship with your attorney helps, but it likely means you’re not getting the best fit for your specific situation.
You wouldn’t go to a foot doctor if you need heart surgery. Find a “team” of specialists to handle the different legal scenarios you face. An estate attorney should handle your estate while a criminal defense attorney should handle your defense.
Some law firms have a team of attorneys who specialize in different case types, and this type could be just as convenient as having one or two attorneys who handle all your cases. Whether it’s at one firm or several specialists from different firms, they should be able to consult with each other to give you the best legal support.
Ask for results
There is no use in hiring an attorney if they can’t get you results. The right attorney should be able to point to results and/or testimonials from former clients who helped them succeed in whatever legal situation they faced.
You can bank on that experience to help guide you and your attorney to success in the future. At Elder Advisors Law, we aren’t afraid to share what our clients have to say about working with us. We pride ourselves on educating and getting results for our clients. Contact us today for attorneys each and every day to help families and protect generations.
