As with any lawyer, the question is frequently asked: how to choose a “good” lawyer? Here are some thoughts, quite personal, after more than ten years of this beautiful profession.
- Word of mouth
Word of mouth is probably the most common way to choose your lawyer and can be one of the least bad. If a family member, friend or colleague recommends a lawyer, you are more likely to make a good choice. Through the online sites you can Find a local accident attorney for car wreck, but there are more.
This method also has its limits. First, the lawyer who has defended your neighbor for his divorce may not be as competent to carry out the transfer of your business. Each lawyer has a duty of competence, it is necessary to question him, on this point, on the subjects in which he exercises. He cannot claim to be able to litigate in all areas. In addition, your friend may have recommended a firm and not a particular lawyer. The lawyer who defended him five years ago may have left the cabinet that you are hearing about today. Finally, every human relationship is unique. If your brother was able to get along well with such a lawyer, this may not be the case for you, who do not have the same character, the same expectations or just the same story.
Word of mouth is therefore an interesting instrument of choice for his lawyer. Provided it is not used alone. It cannot be the only criterion of choice.
- The address
The quality of a lawyer is rarely (if ever) a function of the prestige of his address and the luxury of his premises. The marble staircase, the precious wood flooring, the moldings and the chimneys do not guarantee the seriousness and the competence of the lawyer who receives you. The decor of the cabinet is mainly to try to flatter the customer who is willing to pay for this decor in his notes of fees.
- Also beware of trompe l’oeil. The lawyer who receives you may sublet may be a very small part of a luxury building. It is even possible to work at home and rent only a few hours a week a nice meeting room in a mansion. And if the entrance to the office is beautiful, the staff who will actually handle the files can, behind the scene, pile up in small uncomfortable rooms that the customer will never see.
On the one hand, the cabinet configuration must allow you to meet the ethical obligations of the lawyer. To be received, not in an “open space” but in a place that allows the secrecy of the exchanges is of course important. On the other hand, a lawyer who values the comfort of his team’s work already provides a service to the firm’s clients. Beyond the floors and the walls, it is especially the equipment of the cabinet that will make the difference, on the material level. These are the means of communication (e-mails, faxes, etc.), documentation, accounting and billing software. All these tools are useful for efficient file processing.