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When you have been through a negative experience or have been wrong, you might want to gain compensation for what you’ve been through.
You may have had an accident at work and need a slip and fall attorney. Or maybe you need a severance pay lawyer to help you get the payment you deserve from your employer. There are a number of reasons why you might require a lawyer to help you make a claim against an individual or a company.
Here are some things to expect when you hire a lawyer.
- An Initial Consultation
Every lawyer will offer an initial consultation when you first hire them. This will go through the main details of your claim and what you would like the outcome to be. They will also set their expectations of you and ask your expectations of them.
Many lawyers also like to set out a regular communication schedule so you are both aware of how much contact you will have during the time you are working together.
- Good Communication
Most lawyers should have great communication skills. It is one of the key qualities that makes a lawyer good at their job. They need to know how to properly communicate with their clients, the judge, the jury, and their colleagues. Expect to have a lawyer who is able to actively listen to you and formulate detailed and positive responses to what you say.
They will also be effective at communicating in the courtroom. They need to take in what the opposition is saying and respond in a professional manner to convince the judge and jury that you deserve to win the case.
Good communication also involves being direct. Any lawyer that you hire should be able to speak to you directly without adding any ‘fluff’ to their words. Usually, you are paying for their time. Therefore, if they are direct with what they say, you will get more for your money.
- Competency
A competent lawyer is one that has a lot of relevant experience and knowledge within their field. When you hire a competent lawyer, they should know how to create a claim that is going to win in the courtroom.
Of course, everybody is human. Lawyers will make mistakes every so often. Although you should expect your lawyer to be competent in their role, it’s always good to accept that some things may not go the way you had planned in the courtroom.
- Professionalism and Approachability
When you hire a lawyer, you should expect them to be professional yet approachable.
It’s important for lawyers to look and act professionally both inside and outside of the courtroom. However, as some lawyers deal with very sensitive information, they need to make sure that their clients feel comfortable opening up to them. This means being friendly and approachable from the start.