by: Mark Shapiro
Too many people pick a lawyer in a hurry. This is because many times, when one
has been wronged, they want to be made whole as quickly as possible. It's
worthwhile to investigate and interview a lawyer carefully before signing their
retainer agreement.
Even if you have a recommendation from a friend, there is no guarantee that your
legal situation will be handled as well as your friend's was. If your friend or
associate's recommendation seems good, go with it, at least at first.
Contact your State Bar - an association of lawyers in your state. Almost every
State Bar has a referral system where you can meet with a lawyer for half an
hour about your case for a very reasonable fee.
An ideal lawyer has good experience, technical ability, accountability, billing,
attitude, and customer service.
Make sure your lawyer works in the field you need. E.g., do not pick a divorce
lawyer for a business fraud dispute. Often it's worth spending more for a lawyer
that specializes in your kind of case. This is because a specialist often can do
more effective work per hour, than one that has to brush up on the laws and
issues related to your case.
A good lawyer:
* Explains things in plain English.
* Listens to what you want, and explains the options to you.
* Declines to take your case if it's not a good match. If a lawyer cannot be
confident that they can help you, they should not keep you as a client.
* Communicates with you in the way you prefer. (Email is becoming the best
choice.) Nobody wants to be kept in the dark for a long time while an enormous
bill is accruing.
* Has understandable itemized monthly billing.
* Uses common sense. Above all else. Just because something is legally possible
does not mean it should be done.
* Puts your interests first. A good lawyer makes sure that your bottom line
interests are being looked out for, before and after the judgment.
* Makes sure the proof of service is good. If the debtor cannot be found, it may
be better to wait until they can be found, rather than serving them by
publication. If you cannot find the defendant, why sue them?
* Makes sure the defendant has assets before you sue them. A good lawyer checks,
and advises you if the defendant likely cannot be collected from. You may still
want to proceed, but you should make an informed choice.
* Makes sure to investigate all parties that possibly should be sued. If an
entity defrauds you, a good lawyer will verify if there are other related
parties that possibly should be added as defendants.
Too often attorneys name corporations and LLCs without naming the individual
shareholder or managing member responsible for the actions that caused a lawsuit
to be filed.
Attorneys should check that an entity is not dissolved before filing a lawsuit.
If an entity is dissolved when filing a lawsuit, a good lawyer will be sure to
add any individuals directly responsible, and all possible "John Does".
If you sue RipMeOff, LLC, a good lawyer will make sure to check for any "RipMeOffs,
Inc" and "Barry Ripoff DBA RipMeOffs" that are alter-ego's or related to
RipMeOff, LLC.
It's usually a lot easier and cheaper to pierce corporate veils before the
judgment is finalized, than it is afterward.
About The Author
Mark Shapiro - Judgment Broker.
http://www.JudgmentBuy.com - is a must-visit, for everyone involved with
Judgments.
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.judgmentbuy.com
Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/legal/article_2533.shtml
Tags: Getting a Good Lawyer
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