5 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Attorney-Client Relationship

Dealing with legal problems can be a terrifying experience for anyone. The safest course is to hire an attorney - but even if you do, how do you know if they're doing everything they can in your best interests? The truth is, you don't. For the most part, you hope and trust that they will work to obtain the best possible result. The resolution of a legal problem is vitally important to the individual and his or her family. But for the attorney, your case is one of dozens, maybe hundreds, that their firm handles. How do you set yourself apart and make sure you're getting the most for your money?

During my six years in the legal field, I have dealt with hundreds of clients. I have worked in criminal, traffic, small claims, personal injury and bankruptcy law. I conveyed clients' phone calls, their concerns and their questions to the attorneys. Over time, I noticed that some cases were largely ignored, while others received special attention that made a significant difference in the outcome of their case. Below are five things that successful clients did differently to get more help and attention from their attorney.

Experience Is Not Overrated

Although law school is generally three years, it takes many years of practice in a particular field for an attorney to become proficient in that area of the law. When it comes to the law, knowledge is the most powerful tool of all. For instance, in Indiana, Alternative Misdemeanor Sentencing (AMS) can sometimes be worked into the plea bargains for first time felonies. What this means is that, upon completion of probation, the felony on someone's record can be reduced to a misdemeanor. This means that the individual is no longer a felon, and opens up their employment possibilities. But it can only be negotiated during the plea bargain. If an attorney does not know to do this, then the client may well be branded a felon for life. (Note: every legal case is different - see your attorney for more information.)

There are many, many instances like that in the law. Make sure that your attorney is experienced in the area of law that applies to you. Avoid "general practice" attorneys, who have a general knowledge of many areas but specialize in none. Only hire an attorney if you are comfortable with his reputation and his legal expertise.

Be Honest & Keep Your Attorney Informed

This is a big one. If your attorney isn't working with all of the pertinent information, or if they feel you are being dishonest, they will be much less motivated to work on your behalf. If you obtain new information during the course of the case, make sure they get copies of all documents immediately.

If you have done something wrong, tell your attorney. They can help you mitigate the damages, and attorney-client privilege prevents them from disclosing what you've told them. One client charged with Driving While Intoxicated vehemently proclaimed his innocence, but the prosecution was clearly after blood. Midway through the case, we discovered that our client had shoved a handful of change into his mouth in an attempt to change his breathalyzer results (don't ask). If we had known this previously, we could have tried to work with the prosecution on what actually happened.

Maintain Regular Contact

This is a big one. Have you ever heard the saying, "out of sight, out of mind"? It is especially true in the legal field. I have literally seen cases forgotten and not touched for months. Periodically contact your attorney to check in and see if anything's new, even if you know it's not. This way, they don't forget that you exist, and your case is more likely to receive the attention it needs.

Regulate Your Payments

This secret may not be such a secret - attorneys are motivated largely by money. If you can avoid it, never pay your attorney in full upfront. In my experience, cases that had been paid in full received less attention, less often. After all, they couldn't refuse to pay now, could they? Other clients who still owed on their legal cases could threaten to withhold payment; when the attorney was not working very hard on their cases, they received the most attention when they threatened to do so.

This goes both ways, too. If your attorney is not working on your case, or is not returning your calls, they may be sending a not-so-subtle message that it's time to make a payment. If you're overdue, send the payment, then try again. You'll likely receive much better results.

Be Persistent

The squeaky wheel really does get the grease. If you have paid, and your attorney is not answering your calls, then don't give up or quit calling. Your attorney has a legal obligation to work in your interests, and maintaining correspondence with you is part of that. Calling constantly will annoy the attorney and annoy the staff, but you will likely get the attention and answers that you need. In my work for a personal injury attorney, we occasionally had clients who would call daily. Eventually, the attorney started taking the calls himself, just because he knew they would keep calling until he did.

The author, Rebecca White-Glanders, has six years experience as a paralegal and research assistant in the legal field, and has worked in the areas of criminal law, small claims, traffic law, personal injury, estate law and bankruptcy. This article is based upon her experiences and insights gained during that time.