Signs that It’s Time to Get a New Lawyer | John F. Davenport | Law Website
--
A good lawyer is supposed to provide you with adequate information on various legal issues and help you navigate through a case with minimal frustration. However, sometimes lawyers are not the right fit for your particular situation. This does not make a particular lawyer a bad person, but if you see certain signs, you might want to reconsider continuing the relationship with the lawyer as it has the potential to lead you down a bad path in your legal situation. Below we will discuss a few signs that it is time to get a new lawyer, as featured in an article on Building Indiana Business .
Complete Silence
One of the most common complaints clients have about their lawyers is poor communication. Of course, you do not want to overcontact your lawyer and prevent them from being able to complete their job. However, receiving radio silence from their end is absolutely not ideal either. Your lawyer should be able to provide you with relatively timely answers to questions you have, especially if your case is very pressing. If you notice that your lawyer is starting to become very distant, you should address this issue right away, as it might be a signal that they are not completely comfortable handling your case.
Hidden Fees
When hiring a lawyer, you should be presented with all of the costs associated with your case upfront. It is a huge red flag if you start noticing things such as postage, copying, and other legal surcharges piling up on your account without you being notified of them firsthand. Vaguely described fees can be a sign that the law firm is trying to take advantage of you. A good law firm will be able to have clearly described billable items that they informed you of from the beginning of your relationship.
Uncertainty
One of the most worrying things you can experience is a lawyer not being sure about how to handle your case. This is a sign that the particular lawyer might not be a capable and competent representation for your situation. A good lawyer should be able to brief you on the next steps from day one and be able to quickly come up with other alternatives if certain methods are not going according to plan.
Originally published at https://johnfdavenport.com on July 28, 2021.