Selecting an attorney is an important question as it influences the results of possible lawsuits and the firm’s ability to survive. For this reason, several factors should be given special attention. First, the lawyer’s expertise and experience should be considered as a veteran has more chances to succeed (Cheeseman, 2018). The background knowledge and previous cases will help to attain better results. Second, the typical client of an attorney should be determined to realize if he/she understands the nature of the business and can represent it correctly (Langvardt, 2018). Finally, the costs and fees along with the billing should be discussed as too expensive lawyers might become a heavy burden to a firm. In such a way, experience, specialization, and costs are critical when selecting a specialist.
Considering this list, it is possible to formulate five questions to ask a potential attorney:
- What is your current experience in the field?
- What type of cases do you usually have?
- What clients do you usually represent?
- What are your current costs, and how are they determined?
- What is the most probable outcome of my possible cases?
By asking these questions, a business owner can discover if the selected specialist can resolve would-be problems and what factors might influence the cooperation with the lawyer.
Using these questions, two selected attorneys are interviewed to determine their expertise and the ability to represent the business.
Attorney 1
- I have been working in the sphere for ten years already
- I usually represent small businesses and firms belonging to this sector.
- I cannot share information about my clients, but I usually cooperate with small firms having legal issues related to various problems.
- The costs depend on multiple factors, such as the complexity of the case, the type of cooperation, and the type of violation or claim. At the moment, it is difficult to determine the final price.
- If your firm observes the existing regulations and functions within the legal field, we can succeed in court.
Attorney 2
- I have six years of-experience of representing various clients.
- The type of cases differs, as I cooperate with small and medium firms.
- I usually work with clients who follow the existing rules however have some claims.
- The cost varies, but usually, it is about $350 per hour.
- I am sure that it is possible to win a case if no rude violations are made. However, every situation is unique, and it is impossible to outline outcomes not knowing all facts.
Report
Altogether, selecting an attorney is a complex issue as it influences the work of the firm. Such factors as experience, costs, and typical cases should be taken into consideration to make the right choice and guarantee that success will be achieved. The decision can rest on the interview, including the major questions formulated to acquire information about the factors mentioned above. For instance, from the previous examples, it is possible to select the second candidate. Although he is less experienced, he has a fixed cost and emphasizes the fact that outcomes depend on the situation and the background of the case. In such a way, choosing a lawyer should be given much attention, and special criteria should be applied to guarantee the best possible choice. Otherwise, there is a high risk of unsuccessful cooperation and failure.
References
Cheeseman, H. (2018). Business law (10th ed.) Pearson.
Langvardt, A. (2018). Business law (17th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.