{"id":8700,"date":"2022-12-12T10:39:12","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T16:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwoodlegal.com\/?p=8700"},"modified":"2024-10-24T14:20:55","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T19:20:55","slug":"what-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norwoodlegal.com\/what-to-look-for-when-hiring-a-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Look for When Hiring a Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#questions\">Questions to Ask a Lawyer Before Hiring<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#specialist\">Sometimes a Specialist Is Not The Best<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#be-wary\">Be Wary of Lawyers on TV, Billboards &amp; Bathrooms<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#super\">Don\u2019t Trust Super Lawyers and Other Lists<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#buddy\">Your Lawyer Buddy May Not Be a Very Good Lawyer<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#proven-record-of-success\">Choose an Attorney with A Proven Record of Success<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selecting a lawyer is a daunting task, to say the least. When doing so, it\u2019s generally because a person finds themselves in a very scary situation and just wants to get someone on the case fast to relieve the stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you rush to decide on a lawyer and do not do the due diligence to make sure the lawyer you select is competent, it could be a move that is detrimental to your freedom, money, health and\/or children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article will help you know what questions to ask and what to look for when hiring a lawyer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"questions\"><b>Questions to Ask A Lawyer Before Hiring<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before or during your initial consultation with your potential attorney, start with these questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many trials have they done?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many appeals have they done?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many wins has the lawyer had?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask for case numbers of their trials and appeals, news articles for their big wins or references from other clients the lawyer has helped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, ask the lawyer to prove to you they are a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/norwoodlegal.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">good lawyer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If they can\u2019t, it\u2019s probably because they are not a good lawyer.\u00a0 Below are some common mistakes people make when looking for a lawyer.\u00a0 But if you pose the following questions, it is likely the chance of falling into common traps that usually result in hiring a bad lawyer will be significantly minimized.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"specialist\"><b>Sometimes a Specialist Is Not The Best Lawyer for the Case<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many times a person will think that a lawyer that does nothing but the specific type of case the client needs is the best lawyer to handle the situation. But the reality is that many times \u201cspecialists\u201d are the assembly line equivalent of the legal industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They move their practice area&#8217;s process fast to make a profit.\u00a0 But in law, like many industries, it\u2019s generally the craftsperson that does the best work, not the high-volume manufacturers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"be-wary\"><b>Be Wary of Lawyers Who Advertise on TV, Billboards and Bathrooms<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Private lawyers are in business to make a profit, but sometimes getting a good result for a client is not a profitable endeavor. Other times, the lawyer is just not competent to get a client a good result, but will take a retainer to make some money. This is a bit of an oversimplification, but it gets the point across.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are good lawyers, and then there are good business people who practice law. A good lawyer went into law to help people, which is a primary motivating factor. A good business person who practices law is looking to make money and is not as concerned about getting a good result for the client.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, I say this is a bit of an oversimplification because there are good lawyers who are also good business people. And profit can drive a lawyer to get their clients good results. Additionally, the economics of a case can be a primary driving factor in the winnability of the case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, a person may have a legitimate legal claim, but for that claim to be won would take more time and resources than what the claim is worth. A good lawyer will recognize this and tell you. A business person who practices law may not tell you and take your money. This is a common situation in family law cases. Sometimes a family law lawyer will drag a family law case out more than needed in order to make more money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s not happening at Norwood Law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"super\"><b>Don\u2019t Trust Super Lawyers and Other Lists\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About half the lawyers on the list are good, and the other half &#8211; well &#8211; they aren\u2019t super lawyers, we\u2019ll just put it that way. Some of the lawyers don\u2019t practice anymore or do not practice the areas they are listed in, and some are marketers that are good at getting their name out but not good at representing their clients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"buddy\"><b>Your Lawyer Buddy May Not Be a Very Good Lawyer<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is common for people to call the lawyer they know when they need legal advice. This can work out great, but it can also be a disaster. Just because you know a lawyer or they\u2019re your friend does not mean that person is competent to handle a legal matter that is extremely important to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask your lawyer friend the hard questions to discover their competence and track record. If you are concerned about hurting your lawyer friend\u2019s feelings, look at it this way: if your lawyer friend screws your case up with poor legal counsel, they won\u2019t be your friend anymore. Plus, you\u2019ll have a mess on your hands that may not be able to be fixed, even by a really good lawyer.\u00a0 So, make sure you get a competent, experienced, trustworthy attorney to begin with.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"proven-record-of-success\"><b>Choose an Attorney with A Proven Record of Success<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reconsider your choice if the lawyer you\u2019re consulting with can\u2019t provide you with accomplishments like the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Winning the largest settlement for Excessive Force in the history of the North Oklahoma district. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Northern District of Oklahoma Case No. 18-cv-491)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Securing the freedom of a man who was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tulsaworld.com\/news\/local\/crime-and-courts\/i-cant-hold-no-grudge-lifes-too-short-corey-atchison-found-actually-innocent-after-1991\/article_f618943c-270d-5aa4-8882-f8a60a643c29.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=email&amp;utm_campaign=user-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wrongfully incarcerated<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for 28 years and taking on a related civil rights lawsuit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overturning the \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tulsaworld.com\/opinion\/joseph-norwood-supreme-court-right-in-striking-down-no-pay-no-play\/article_5998dc8d-cf72-5098-9837-16f2563816fb.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No Pay, No Play<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d Statute before the Oklahoma Supreme Court that affects citizens daily.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pursuing and winning an products liability<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/norwoodlegal.com\/norwood-law-firm-wins-big-settlement-against-manufacturer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> personal injury suit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against an Italian manufacturer for a client. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tulsa County Case No. CJ-14-3069)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose an experienced attorney who has a track record of success with <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/norwood.law\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Norwood Law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/norwoodlegal.com\/contact\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a consultation with the attorneys at Norwood Law Firm today.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Selecting a lawyer is a daunting task, to say the least. When doing so, it\u2019s generally because a person finds themselves in a very scary situation and just wants to get someone on the case fast to relieve the stress.\u00a0This article will help you know what questions to ask and what to look for when hiring a lawyer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8702,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"What to Look for When Hiring a Lawyer | Norwood Law Firm","_seopress_titles_desc":"Choosing an attorney can be a daunting task. 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