How to Choose an Attorney & How to Find a Good Lawyer

Write Down Some Notes Before Your Consultation
You should also consider writing down some notes regarding your situation. This will likely help you to choose an attorney because at the consultation you may have to discuss difficult and/or sensitive subjects that may stir up many different emotions. Additionally, the lawyer may raise and you may end up discussing issues that are legally relevant and of which you were not aware. Having some notes may help you get back on track should you and the lawyer need to discuss collateral issues that are important to your situation.

Write Down Your Most Important Questions
You should also consider writing down at least the most important questions that you have. This will also likely help you in your search to find a good lawyer because having your questions in writing in front of you will help to make sure that you do not leave the lawyer's office without answers to your legal questions. Also, during the consultation, you should feel free to take notes which may help you to choose an attorney when you are ready. And, you should feel free to write down the answers to each of your questions, especially if you think it will help you remember what was discussed or help you to choose an attorney later on.

Go to Your Consultation and Discuss Your Situation
The next step in your search to find a good lawyer will be to go to the consultation. You may want to arrive at the lawyer's office a few minutes early and should expect to complete at least a short intake sheet or questionnaire that will ask for basic information about you. If there are any special concerns regarding how to contact you, you may want to note those on the intake sheet. Then, when you meet with the lawyer, proceed to explain the reason for your visit and fully discuss the presenting issues. Show the lawyer the documents that are relevant to your situation. Then, if you feel you may have left something out, go over the notes and the questions you prepared. Then, listen carefully to everything the lawyer tells you and make sure that you and the lawyer cover the issues we have outlined in this series on how to find a good lawyer so that you will get the most out of your consultation.

Non Legal Questions You Should Ask
If based on your consultation, it appears that you may need to take further action beyond the consultation or that you need actual representation in a case, your next step in your search to find a good lawyer should be to find out if the lawyer you are meeting with will actually be handling your case. If your case will be handed off to another attorney or if other attorneys in the office will be working on your case, you should consider meeting with the other attorneys also. Even if you have to start from the beginning, you should consider going over all of the points we have previously discussed which are important in your search to find a good lawyer and which will ultimately help you to choose an attorney.

Your search to find a good lawyer should also include asking about the contact policy of the office. Some attorneys may not return calls in a timely manner. Therefore, your search to find a good lawyer should include finding out how promptly your calls will be returned. Will your calls be returned the same day? By the next business day? In the next few days? If you previously left a message with the office, check your notes to find out how long before the attorney called you back. That may be a good clue as to the contact policy of the office. Your search to find a good lawyer should also take into consideration the lawyer's availability for legal emergencies outside of regular hours if your situation may require it.

Additionally, you should find out whether the attorney is the one that will call you back or whether you will you speak mostly with an assistant. If you will speak mostly with an assistant you should consider whether that is acceptable to you based on the level of service you would prefer. Also, if you prefer to communicate via e-mail, you may want to discuss the pros and cons of doing so particularly if your e-mail is of the free account variety. And, you should consider whether fax communications will be viable as an alternative.

How to Find a Good Lawyer – Part 7

The Law Offices of J. Manuel Acevedo, P.A., are located at 116 North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida, 32771.
Attorney Acevedo is a lawyer admitted to practice law in Florida, has clients from Florida, the United States, and other countries, and primarily
serves Seminole County, Volusia County, Orange County, and Lake County, and the following cities: Sanford, Longwood, Lake Mary, Heathrow,
Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Oviedo, Goldenrod, Fern Park, Forest City, Midway, Geneva, Chuluota, Winter Springs, Wekiva Springs, Deland, Deltona,
Orange City, Debary, Lake Helen, Daytona, Deleon Springs, Orlando, Apopka, Maitland, Lockhart, Azalea Park, Winter Park, Mount Dora, Tavares, and Eustis.
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