7. For Clients: How Do You Hire Good Lawyers?

In this episode, directed primarily towards clients of lawyers, SeedJura co-hosts Geneve and Phyllis help uncover the secrets behind hiring a good lawyer.

(A note from Geneve & Phyllis: This episode is a little longer than our usual episodes, but we feel that this content is very important and worth dedicating the time to explain thoroughly.)

First, Geneve and Phyllis highlight the what could go wrong if you don't hire the right lawyer. The wrong lawyer could:

• Be silent and ignore you case / deposition
• Drop you entirely
• Lead opposing council to believe you're incompetent
• Charge you way more than you expected

The ultimate goal when hiring a lawyer is to decide:

• Who you hire
• What price point is best for you
• What your potential lawyer could provide

When hiring a lawyer, you must understand:

• Lawyers are very specialized and not a "one-size-fits-all" profession
• Not all lawyers have the same skill-sets, even if they graduated from the same school or work at the same firm.
• Hiring the right lawyer makes a huge difference in the outcome of your deal / case
• You have to do your homework and take charge when hiring and managing your lawyers

There are many factors that go into the decision to hire a lawyer. If you've decided that you do need to hire an attorney, you should consider:

• How important is hiring a lawyer to you and your company?
• Do your current needs stipulate the need for a lawyer? (You can listen to Episode 1 of SeedJura: Decoding Law to learn more)
• What role do you need a lawyer to fulfill for you? (You can listen to Episode 5 of SeedJura: Decoding Law to learn more)
• What value do you need a lawyer to provide for you? (You can listen to Episode 3 of SeedJura: Decoding Law to learn more)
• What's the timeframe for this deal, case, or dispute?
• Where is the matter, case, or dispute centered, in terms of location (e.g. state, city, etc.)?
• What's your budget?

When you decide to hire a lawyer, there are many factors to consider. SeedJura will have a separate episode dedicated to this topic, but as an introduction, when interviewing a lawyer, you should be identifying:

• How and where the lawyer was trained
• How organized the lawyer is
• The team size for each case
• How communication with you is handled and how you will be updated on progress
• How will you be able to access data (e.g. documents, files, and other info)
• What is the lawyer's current workload
• How does the lawyer charge you and how frequently would you be updated on your current bill

When finalizing the hiring process:

• Get a formal letter of engagement and be sure to read it
• If you aren't comfortable with any aspect of the letter of engagement, ask to negotiate changes
• Request contact information for at least two attorneys in the firm
• Be friendly with the firm's secretaries and assistants who will be assisting the lawyers on your case

Next Week's Episode: In the next episode (intended for lawyers), Phyllis and Geneve will explore how lawyers can stand out and generate new business.

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