How and When to Communicate with your Lawyer

It helps to think about your relationship with your lawyer as you would a relationship with your medical doctor. You need to go in from time to time to have a checkup, and occasionally you’ll have a problem that needs some attention. That’s where the similarities stop, since legal proceedings are definitely an entirely different issue. When you’re working with an attorney, it helps to know what to expect from them, and what they need from you.

What To Expect From Your Lawyer

● Prudent advice about your specific legal situation, including what to expect, a timeline, an estimate of costs, and the various risks you assumed by taking legal action.

● Keeping you informed on a regular basis about your case.

● A prudent assessment of what your case – in terms of the civil suit – is worth.

● Allowing you to make informed decisions about your case – e.g. whether to settle or go to trial.

● Frank communication about what your case should cost, along with cost-effectiveness analyses.

● Complete confidentiality under attorney-client privilege.

● Representation of your best interests, and putting those interests ahead of their own.

● Financial transparency, including separate bank accounts for client money.

● Keeping their behavior within the bounds of federal and state law at all times.

● Preparation to ready you for your deposition and trial.

● Adherence to the rules regulating the Florida bar.

● Copies of correspondence, motions, orders, discovery demands, and responses thereto.

What Your Lawyer Expects from You

● That you abide by the signed agreements you make with the attorney.

● That you are strictly truthful and forthcoming in all details of your case.

● That you will actively gather all the evidence/paperwork in your possession, and prepare any timelines that are needed.

● That you should inform your attorney of any new evidence.

● That you are communicative and reply to requests in a timely manner, including times you’ll be unavailable to attend proceedings.

● That your fees should be paid to the attorney in a timely manner, and that you should inform your attorney if there will be any difficulties in payment.

● Assistance with any research and work that does not require legal training – after all nobody knows the specifics of your case better than you.

● That you will treat their staff with respect. Whether it’s a junior partner, paralegal, secretary, receptionist, or even an intern they are entitled to professional respect from clients.

When you work with Van Horn Law Group, you can rest assured that you will get diligent representation in whatever matter has brought you to us. Whether it is bankruptcy for yourself or your business, estate planning, debt relief, civil litigation, or consumer law we will represent you to the very best of our ability, and get you the best possible outcome for your case. We pride ourselves on the quality of our representation, and getting the best possible outcomes for our clients. Call our offices in Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach, we are open seven days a week, and book your free initial consultation. Let’s get to work.