It is a reality that most of us will need to engage a lawyer at some point or points in our lives.
Most of us don’t do this regularly, and the thought of who to pick for some of our most important decisions can be daunting.
Social media has made it easier to ask people, including strangers for recommendations, and gone are the days of the ‘family lawyer’ who was a generalist lawyer who handled all of the family affairs, and who everyone in the family went to for every legal problem. Most lawyers now take an interest in one area and they strive to do it well.
I know when I am looking for a product or a service, I will ask for recommendations from people I know and I have also been known to turn to my social media groups. I’m not just looking for who to go to, but who to stay away from, however I take all of those recommendations with a pinch of salt because I know that we all have different experiences, and we are all looking for different things, but they are important because they will form my initial opinions.
When you are faced with such an important decision as to who you chose to represent you, there are many things you should consider such as:
How do I feel when I walk into their office?
Am I greeted warmly and do they seem to care about me?
How easy was it for me to get an appointment or talk to the person who is assisting me?
Is this person I am meeting with genuinely interested in me?
Is this person talking to me in a way that I understand?
Do I feel valued and not just ‘another client’?
How well does this person understand my legal problem, and are they giving me solutions that are best for me?
Do I click with this person?
Do they answer my questions genuinely?
And my personal favourite:
Is this person giving me a hard sell?
I had a long winded experience many years ago when I purchased my first brand new car at a dealership, so when looking for my next car I went in with a list of my ‘requirements’. I made it clear upfront that I only had half an hour, that I was looking at a particular model and was not interested in finance or extras. After nearly an hour and a half, I left that dealership and purchased my car elsewhere (a two hour drive away) because the salesperson had ignored everything I had told them and they were only interested in getting my sale.
A professional (be it a lawyer, or other provider) should be able to read you as a person and tailor their communication to the interaction between yourselves. You should never feel pressured to engage in services where you are not comfortable.
When picking legal services such as personal injury services that are lengthy processes and quite personal, you need to feel comfortable with who you have engaged to act for you. You do not need to engage the first person you meet with – you always have a choice. In my years as a lawyer I am still surprised at how many clients feel pressured by the hard sell at their very first appointment with the first lawyer they meet with. I am pleased to see that legal services clients are becoming more particular about who they choose to act for them.
Ultimately who you engage is a matter for you, and a decision that only you can make, but make sure that you feel that person ticks all of your requirement boxes.