Can I Trust My Lawyer?
If you’re in a situation where you need legal representation (like an interstim class action lawsuit), it’s important to be able to trust your lawyer. You will be communicating with them regularly and need to know that they will work hard to get the best possible outcome for you.
If you’ve done your research, you’ve probably hired someone with extensive experience and knowledge in the field, and therefore they should be trustworthy. But, if you’re having doubts, how do you know if you can trust your lawyer?
They communicate
Whatever the reason for needing legal representation, whether it’s a car accident, medical malpractice or a divorce settlement, a lawyer you can trust will communicate effectively. This means keeping you in the loop, explaining any jargon and making sure that you fully understand the events of the case. A lawyer you can’t trust will leave you feeling confused, isolated or even a little uneducated, as you won’t understand what’s happening and might feel as if it’s your fault. If you don’t think your lawyer is communicating effectively, it’s important to speak to them about the problem.
They get to know you
A lawyer you can trust will make an effort to get to know you, and understand what you want to gain from the case. Whilst this should never be inappropriate and there are guidelines to the client-lawyer relationship, this means they will take the time to speak to you and form a mutually respectful bond. Every case a lawyer accepts will represent them as well as you, and therefore it’s in their best interests to do the job as well as possible. You are not simply another statistic. So, if your lawyer isn’t attempting to form a positive relationship with you, you might not feel that they’re completely trustworthy.
They do their research
Lawyers should have different skills up their sleeves, and one of these is the ability to do extensive research. A lawyer you can trust will make sure they have all the facts available and will speak to witnesses, check any relevant CCTV footage and ensure they have all necessary documents to argue a case. A lawyer you can’t trust might be sloppy and not detailed-oriented, meaning that there are loopholes in their arguments. If you’re concerned that your lawyer hasn’t done their research, you need to communicate this with them and potentially think about finding someone else. It’s not worth the hassle.
They provide a timeline
Whilst no lawyer can guarantee an exact timeline for your case, a lawyer you can trust will be able to provide an estimated timeframe. They will be experienced in their field, and therefore will have seen many cases like yours. This means that they can give you an idea of how long the case will take and what the potential outcomes might be. A lawyer you can’t trust will be evasive when you ask these kinds of questions, and might overcompensate – simply because of a lack of experience.
0 comments