Book Excerpts
Select Paragraphs from The Smart Consumer's Guide To Hiring A Great Lawyer
From Chapter Two
Legal Matchmaking: The Truth About Attorney Finder Websites & Online Directories
"Using the internet to find a lawyer? Beware of websites that say they will help you locate, evaluate, and choose a lawyer. These sites are not always what they appear to be. They are not a public service. More often than not these sites are simply paid advertising spots. There are two basic categories of lawyer finder websites. They are “directory sites” and “referral sites."
"There is actually a subcategory of the referral site. I call them “referral firms”. These are sites that appear to promote a lawyer or a law firm. But behind the scenes these sites are just another type of referral site where the attorney has paid a hefty fee to be promoted. You might have seen some television spots for these lawyers or firms. Again, they take your call or your incoming email and then route it to someone or some firm that is next on the list to get leads. Many times the attorney is not even licensed to practice law in your state. In some cases they associate with a local firm---but it still is not the firm that you thought you were contacting or hiring."
From Chapter Three
Lawyer Advertising: Yellow Page & Television Ads
"Looking for a lawyer in the yellow pages? Why? Yellow page advertising tells you virtually nothing about a lawyer or his/her qualifications to handle your case. And almost all of the ads look just alike and/or say the same things. The yellow pages may be the worst place to look for a lawyer."
"Allow me to decipher these headlines for you. ‘Combined experience’ is referring to the total amount of experience in the whole law firm if you combined each of the attorney’s number of years practicing law. So, a firm could be run by one older, semi-retired lawyer who has been practicing law for 50 years and an army of younger lawyers who each have 5 years of experience or less. Or 20 lawyers who each have 5 years of experience. Or any number of combinations. And once you sign on the dotted line your case may be handled by a junior member of the team. Can you trust a law firm that would use this kind of sly, deceptive messaging?"
From Chapter Four
Attorney Evaluation Criteria: Characteristics of a Great Lawyer
"I believe that there are eleven key criteria that should be used when evaluating a lawyer. All of these criteria are important. I know that researching all of these issues can be time consuming. But don’t you think that you deserve a great lawyer? If the answer is ‘yes’ then it will be worth the investment of your time to do a little bit of homework. Personally, I would not compromise in any of these areas if I needed an attorney."
"#3 Trial Experience – If getting a fair settlement is important to you then hire an attorney that isn’t afraid to go to trial. Most people would prefer to settle their case without actually going to trial. But insurance companies are in the business of assessing “risk.” And if the carrier knows that your attorney does not go to trial frequently, or that your attorney settles every case, then there is little risk that the insurance company will have to pay more money if your case does go to trial. So if the carrier knows your attorney doesn’t like to go to court, then why would it offer more money to avoid the risk that a jury might award more? If your attorney doesn’t try cases, there is no risk for the insurance company. However, if you work with an attorney that frequently goes to trial then the insurance company has that much more incentive to negotiate with him/her in good faith. It’s paradoxical I know, but an attorney who has a reputation for going to trial often is your best chance that your case may settle."
"To make it easier to apply these criteria to your search for the right and perfect lawyer for your unique case, I have created a personal injury attorney evaluation form. Think of it as a scorecard. If you have the time, you should meet with more than one lawyer during your search. Use the form to compare the attorneys that have made your short list. Just make multiple photocopies of the form."
Library for Book Excerpts:
- Attorney Television Advertising
Description: We have all see those late night TV ads that start with the words “if you have been injured.” Did you know that there are companies that offer prewritten and pre-shot TV commercials for personal injury attorneys? - Lawyer Advertising: Headline: “Settlement In 30 Days”
Description: Lawyer Advertising: Headline: “Settlement In 30 Days - Lawyer Advertising: Headline: “Millions Recovered”
Description: This is referring to the combined total of all of their settlements or jury awards. - Lawyer Advertising: Headline: “Combined Experience”
Description: 'Combined experience’ refers to the total amount of experience in the whole law firm if you combined each of the attorney’s number of years practicing law. - The Truth About Lawyer Advertising - Yellow Pages Advertising
Description: If you flip through the attorney section of the yellow pages you will see all the cliché advertising headlines hard at work. Do any of these headlines look familiar? - Legal Matchmaking: The Truth About Attorney Finder Websites - Part 3
Description: There is actually a subcategory of the referral site. I call them “referral firms”. These are sites that appear to promote a lawyer or a law firm. But behind the scenes these sites are just another type of referral site where the attorney has paid a hefty fee to be promoted. - Legal Matchmaking: The Truth About Attorney Finder Websites - Part One
- Hiring An Excellent Lawyer - Background Part #2
Description: Now that I work in Chris’ office I often speak to injured people who are looking for a lawyer but have no idea how to find and choose a good one. And, sadly, I often hear from people who have already hired a lawyer, are unsatisfied with their work, and are calling our office hoping that Chris will take their case so they can change lawyers. - Hiring An Excellent Lawyer - Background Part #1
Description: I am not an attorney—which some will see as a point in my favor. But I am married to an attorney—which may cause some to question my intelligence. Be that as it may, I am uniquely qualified to help the layperson understand how to choose a lawyer for a personal injury, car accident, or wrongful death case. Especially if that case involves trying to get fair compensation from an insurance company. - Hiring A Great Lawyer: Why I Wrote The Book
Description: My reasons for writing this book are plain and simple. In my role as client relations manager for a Seattle law firm I encounter people on a daily basis who need the help of a good lawyer but don’t have any idea how or where to look for one.
