How to Choose an Attorney
I have to earn
the right to be your legal counsel.
You deserve straightforward, helpful, and professional service.
Below are a few tips you may want to check out before our initial free
consultation.
Here's something to keep in mind when you meet with a professional -- an attorney, accountant, broker, doctor, etc. The practicing professional, like all businesspeople, has two jobs:
- To provide a service
- To sell that service
Your job, as a consumer, is twofold:
- To evaluate how good his service will be
- To make a buying decision that is best for you, not him
To accomplish your goal, go into introductory meetings
with specific objectives in mind. To evaluate the
quality of his services, bring a list of questions to
ask him. Prepare that list by talking to friends and
colleagues and by researching articles about what to
expect. However long the meeting is, spend twice the
amount of time preparing for it.
If the professional is really good at what he does, his
answers will impress you. Most times it is best to
resist the urge to make an immediate decision. At the
end of the meeting, thank him for his time and tell him
that you will be sending him a memo responding to what
he has told you.
Take some time to review your notes. (Did I mention
that you should take notes?) If you are happy with
his answers and suggestions -- and you have a good
gut feeling about his character -- write a memo
outlining the benefits and services you want him to
provide. Be specific. And tell him what you don't
want, too. At the end of the memo, ask for a written
proposal. Send the memo within 48 hours, while the
details of the meeting are fresh in your mind.
Don't try to make him like you. Don't try to be his
friend. Don't allow him to use his expertise to
humble you. He is going to be working for you. You
are in charge of the relationship, not him.
(Adapted from an article by Michael Masterson,
Early to Rise)