A Good Match

LEGAL CONNECTIONS: FINDING A GOOD MATCH FOR YOU

by Cynthia Golomb

Most of us seek the counsel of an attorney while undertaking a significant transaction or experiencing a major life crisis. When facing such challenges, we all look for the best possible attorney to assist us. The attorney we select has an important influence on the decisions we make and the course of action we pursue. It can be a daunting task to find the right attorney because there are so many practicing in Howard County and throughout the state of Maryland. What approach can be used to locate the legal professional best suited to advise us?

As a general matter, in finding an appropriate professional, it is useful to consult with family, friends or acquaintances who may have faced similar legal issues. A recommendation from a trusted and respected person can be enormously helpful, although such a recommendation cannot be a substitute for your own judgment. Sometimes, however, a desire for privacy prevents any discussion of a legal matter with a friend, and a personal referral is not possible.

In such instances, there are many public sources of information that may help in locating an appropriate attorney. Legal directories with listings of an attorney's areas of concentration are available in the public library. Useful information can be obtained by looking at local telephone books and reviewing legal advertisements. The Howard County Bar Association, like many local bar associations, operates a referral service which is simply accessed by telephoning the Bar Association directly.

Upon identifying the names of attorneys who are possible choices, the next step is to call the office of the attorney. Obviously, the attorney might not be available at the time you call, so be prepared to leave a message with a return telephone number. As a general matter, unless the legal issue involves an extreme emergency, it reasonable to expect your call to be returned within 48 hours by the attorney directly and not by his or her support staff.

When speaking to the attorney, it is helpful to have a small checklist of basic questions for the attorney and a pad and pencil available to take some notes. Some of the basic questions that might be addressed in a telephone conversation relate to the specific area of law in which the attorney practices, whether the attorney has handled similar matters in the past, and the fee arrangements between the client and the attorney. Before the initial phone contact, it is also useful to have thought through a basic summary of the situation being dealt with to allow the attorney to understand better what is involved. In this way, the client will save his or her time and energy and allow the attorney of focus his or her attention on the essence of the problem because it is not reasonable to expect that this phone call should last more than approximately fifteen minutes.

The next step in finding an attorney is meeting in the attorney's office. In nearly all instances, it is essential to meet with the attorney personally before deciding to hire him or her. Nothing can take the place of a personal interview. At this initial meeting, it is reasonable to expect a more thorough investigation into the facts of the case and an overview of the applicable law than would be possible during the first phone contact. While it is unlikely that a complete solution to the legal problem presented to the attorney will emerge from the initial meeting, major legal issues should be identified. During the meeting, several important factors should be considered. For example, does the attorney appear to be organized in his or her presentation? Does the attorney communicate clearly about the substance of the law and about the procedures involved in the case at hand? Does the attorney suggest alternative ideas for solving the problem besides simply filing a law suit? Does the attorney squarely address difficulties presented by the case or act simply as a "cheerleader" for the client's point of view? Does the attorney suggest specific actions that the client can do in order to be helpful in dealing with the client's problem? Does the attorney appear to care genuinely about the client and the case? Does the attorney appear to exhibit old-fashioned common sense and integrity? By answering these questions, the client will undoubtedly be able to make an informed decision about whether or not the particular attorney under consideration is a good prospect to hire to perform additional legal services.

After the initial meeting with the attorney, if it is agreed that the client is interested in engaging the attorney to perform other legal services, additional communication should take place. A client should expect the attorney to draft a letter of engagement which outlines the terms and conditions of working with the attorney. A careful review of this document is critical to understanding the basis of the client's and the attorney's obligations and responsibilities toward each other. Reviewing this document also permits the client to evaluate the attorney's skills in written presentations. If the client has any questions about this letter, the client should call the attorney and have his or her questions answered before hiring the attorney.

No one can predict with absolute certainty how a legal matter will resolve or how a client's relationship with his or her attorney will work out. However, a careful and reasoned effort to locate the appropriate attorney for the matter at hand will likely yield better results than a haphazard or frantic inquiry. In the long run, the energy applied to this undertaking is well spent.

Cynthia L. Golomb practices family law in Maryland. For a free checklist on how to hire the right lawyer for you, call 410/988-4209.

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As published in the Columbia Business Monthly, Lawyer Focus Section,

January 1999, page B2.

Cynthia M. Lifson was formerly known as Cynthia L. Golomb and can still be reached at 410/988-4209 or by clicking the contact button below.

Contact our office via e-mail to set up a telephone consultation at a mutually convenient time to speak with a lawyer. We offer a free initial phone consultation. Our office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Other hours are available by appointment at either of our two office locations.