QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE HIRING A LAWYER

by Patricia L. McKinnon, Esq.

DISCLAIMER: The answers below are the opinion of Patricia L. McKinnon, Esq., and should not be considered as “legal advice”. Each person’s legal case is unique, with its own set of facts and applicable law. You should consult an attorney of your own choosing before acting on any of the information below.

     I would not advise hiring an attorney until you have had a “face-to-face” meeting. There needs to be a good “fit” between you and your attorney. You must trust your attorney to promote your interests and advocate on your behalf. The following questions are offered for advisory purposes only in the hope that they assist you in obtaining a good lawyer. If you are not comfortable with the attorney, after the first meeting, or if you do not trust the attorney to do a good job for you, then you need to find another attorney in order to save yourself, and the attorney, future problems.

     How long have you been in practice?

     In what areas of law do you practice? Do you limit your cases to (my area)of law or accept cases in other areas as well?

     How many cases have you handled in my area? Can you give me an example of someone else’s case that was similar to mine and what happened in that case?

     How many open files on clients do you have at this time?

     What is your philosophy as far as what decisions the lawyer makes and what decisions the client makes?

     Do you offer consultations? Is there a fee?

     What is your hourly rate?

     What would you charge for a retainer in my case?

     Is your retainer non-refundable or can I obtain part of the retainer back if I change my mind?

     Is postage and copying costs included in your hourly rate or are they billed as separate items?

     Will you be the lawyer handling my case, or will my case be given to another lawyer?

     Do you use legal assistants or paralegals? What would their rate be for my case?

     Do you return your own phone messages or will I be contacted by a legal assistant or paralegal if I leave you a message to call me?

     Do you have a policy on how quickly you will return my phone calls?

     Do you offer a payment plan once my retainer funds have been used up?

     Is there interest added to outstanding balances if not paid in full on the due date? If so, at what is the rate of interest?

     When do you fire clients? For what reason?

     Have you been fired by clients in the past? For what reason?

     Have you ever had a malpractice or disciplinary complaint initiated against you? For what reason? What was the result?

     Do you know the opposing attorney in my case? What is your relationship like with him/her?

     What do you expect out of me as a client?

     What can I expect out of you as an attorney?