How to Choose a Lawyer

2/14/2010

Hiring And Working With A Wisconsin Lawyer: What You – the Client – Should Know Attorneys, like other professionals, are governed by a code of high standards. These standards give you, the client, certain rights. Among those rights are the following: • The right to confidentiality • The right to full fee disclosure • The right to know if you have a case and if the lawyer is competent to handle your case • The right to know how your case is going • The right to have your property safeguarded and your funds separated from the attorney's personal funds • The right to common courtesy • The right to know who is actually working on your case • The right to have your attorney free of any conflicts of interest • The right to complain about attorney misconduct What are your responsibilities, as a client, towards your lawyer? • Provide full disclosure about your case. • Be honest with your lawyer – don’t hide any facts that you think might hurt your case. • Be prompt for your office appointments and court appearances. • Cooperate with your attorney in meeting deadlines. • When your attorney asks for information, provide it promptly. • Be courteous towards your attorney and the attorney's staff. • Pay your attorney on time. Always remember: a good attorney-client relationship requires good faith cooperation by both the lawyer and the client. (Adapted from an article by the State Bar of Wisconsin, published in its entirety at www.legalexplorer.com).