Top Five Tips for Choosing a Lawyer

1. Research. In today’s world, there is no excuse for choosing a lawyer without doing the basic research to find out more about the attorney and his or her firm. There are multitudes of sources of information on lawyers, including a lawyer’s own website. Find out what type of cases he or she has been involved with in the past and their rate of success. If you’re unsure whether you’ve chosen the right lawyer for your case, you can always ask for a free consultation to help make your mind up. You need to make sure you’re using a reputable, successful lawyer who can help you win your case.

For instance, if you or your loved one met with an accident that resulted in a brain injury or severe head injuries
and you wish to explore compensation and claim options, you might want to hire a lawyer with experience in personal injury cases, preferably someone who has dealt with similar cases in the past. Likewise, if you were injured in the state of Oklahoma, you should ideally find a few Oklahoma Brain Injury Lawyers to research before finalizing on someone particular.

2.Get a referral. Generally speaking, whether a lawyer has been successful in a given case or matter can be judged by the satisfaction of the client. For example, if you hear from a friend that personal injury attorney Ray Areshenko of REA Law is perfect for their needs, then that recommendation should not be taken lightly. If the client is willing to refer that lawyer to someone else, the chances are great that the lawyer did a good job. If someone has recommended a lawyer, it must mean they performed very well in their case. It’s vital that you contact an experienced law firm if you’ve had an accident or need legal support. Without intruding on the particulars of the case, ask that person why they were so satisfied with the services of the lawyer and if they’d recommend them.

3.Shop. The law provides little that is black and white and very often, two extremely competent lawyers can have two very different outlooks on a given case. If the first lawyer you consult with doesn’t seem enthusiastic about a case, do not be afraid to seek out a second opinion. The second opinion may confirm that you do not have a great case, but often, another lawyer will see value where another did not.

4.Disclose. When you first meet a lawyer about a given case, make sure that you make full disclosure. There are many times that a client will come to a lawyer with a given set of facts, only for that lawyer to find out later that the facts were actually very different. A lawyer will initially evaluate a case based on what the potential client conveys to him or her. Holding back unfavorable facts from the lawyer will only leave everyone disappointed in the end.

5.Communication. Very often, I hear clients talk about other lawyers they have had in the past and the trouble they have communicating with him or her. Having an open dialogue with your lawyer is essential to your comfort level. If it takes a long period of time for a lawyer to return your initial calls, you may want to think twice about hiring that lawyer. An in-person consultation with the lawyer is always advisable as well.