None of us wants to end up in a courtroom for any reason. Unfortunately, oftentimes, those who find themselves in court find themselves there through no fault of their own. If you do have reason to go to court, you will want to ensure that you have the best representation you can afford. To this end, you need to be prepared to interview anyone who you are considering hiring to represent your interests legally.
Interviewing a potential attorney can seem like a daunting task for those who have no prior experience with the courtroom, however, there are a few simple and straightforward questions which will tell you a lot about the person you are interviewing, and their professional credentials. Going into the interview forearmed with these questions will make it easy to assess the suitability of a potential lawyer without requiring any specialist knowledge on the part of the interviewee.
How Long Have You Practiced law?
Obviously, everyone has to start somewhere. Every lawyer has to have their first case, their first year, etc. It is up to you how much direct experience you demand of your lawyer. Needless to say, a lawyer with limited experience is a more risky hire. A lawyer who is arguing their first case will likely have gained some experience during the course of their training. Finding a lawyer who has experience working in multiple states is also often an indicator of success.
What Type of Cases do You Normally Handle?
This will tell you what area the lawyer you are speaking to specializes in. Finding a lawyer who specializes in the type of case that you will be going to court for will carry with it a clear advantage. However, more specialized knowledge and experience often come with a hefty price tag. Some people feel more comfortable with, and see more value in, a lawyer who has experience in a number of different areas; this could be considered as demonstrating more versatility and adaptability.
Finding a lawyer with experience handling the kind of case that you will be arguing will often make things go much more smoothly. For example, if you have suffered an injury in the city of Chicago then you need a personal injury lawyer, not a Chicago criminal defense lawyer with a different skillset.
Can You Provide Some References?
References will provide you with your most effective tool for assessing the suitability of the lawyer in front of you. References will allow you speak directly with previous clients and ask them what their experience was like. Lawyers should be happy to provide you with these references to put your mind at ease. If the attorney you speak to is hesitant about providing you with these, then you might want to consider whether this might signify an issue.
What are Your Costs and Pricing Plan?
It is important that you are absolutely clear with a potential attorney about the costs involved and what their pricing structure is like. For many types of case, you will be able to secure the services of a no-win, no-fee lawyer. Under a no win, no fee arrangement, you will only pay for the services of the lawyer if they are able to win the case for you.
Should you find yourself facing a potential court case, then you will want to make sure that you secure the best legal representation that you can. Interviewing potential attorneys is the best way of assessing their suitability.