Five Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring a Lawyer

When it comes to your case, we understand more than most how working with the right attorney can make a significant impact on not only the outcome but your overall experience. In fact, it’s the whole reason why our law firm began. In 1977, John hired the wrong lawyer for his younger brother Tim after an accident on the job left him paralyzed from the neck down. Due to the attorney's incompetence and a lowball settlement, John walked away from the experience determined to make a difference for those who may find themselves in his shoes. 

Today, we continue John’s legacy of doing better for the people, not the powerful, by ensuring that those around the country always have access to the best legal representation. In order to help you avoid going through the same hardship John and countless others have experienced when hiring incompetent attorneys, we’ve broken down the five key questions you should ask any attorney when considering hiring them to represent you in a lawsuit.

Do You Know What To Ask an Attorney?

While you may have an idea of a few solid questions to ask an attorney or a law firm when deliberating if you should move forward with their services, we believe there are only five key questions that will help you decide whether they are the right fit for you.

How Many Trials Have You Had in the Last Five Years?

An active law firm is not only great for business but also is important for prospective clients to understand how far your attorney is willing to go in order to ensure your case is resolved accordingly. The number of trials may also testify to the amount of experience your attorney has, their capabilities when handling cases similar to yours, and if they’ve developed a positive track record with their previous clients. If your attorney has not gone to trial in the last five years, do not be afraid to ask them why.

In What Counties Were the Trials Held?

Understanding where your attorney has practiced can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.  Ask your attorney what counties they represent and if they practice regularly in the courts. An attorney who practices regularly in a certain county should be more familiar with the judges and other attorneys who also practice in the area. Knowing this information can provide your attorney with helpful information regarding other law firm tactics, allowing them to have a strategic approach to defend your case.

What Were the Pretrial Offers?

A pretrial offer can help you better understand two things. The first is whether your attorney was capable of securing you the appropriate level of recovery from the defendant for any damages you may have incurred before going to trial. The second is if your attorney should bring your case to trial, the pretrial offer will allow you to see the transition of where your case started versus where your attorney was able to advance and secure a verdict that you and your loved ones rightfully deserve. If there is no significant difference between the pretrial offer and the trial verdict, you may want to ask the attorney why and what they would be able to do to ensure your case is handled differently.

What Were the Verdicts?

The verdict of a trial represents the culmination of the entire legal process. If your attorney has been able to acquire you a higher verdict, it provides you with plenty of advantages as it can eliminate set-offs, contributory fault, and more. When it comes to asking an attorney about the outcome of their cases, do not be afraid to ask them about the verdicts of the case, as well as how much their clients collected, including the final recoveries. 

We’ve made it our mission to help our clients recover the highest possible value for their case claims. We also value transparency not only for our current clients but also for those who are inquiring whether we may be the right fit for their case. This is why we aim to showcase what we can do for our clients front and center. For more information about our most recent lawsuits and to gain a better understanding of what you may be entitled to recover for your claims, head to our verdicts and settlement page.

How Much Are the Attorney’s Fees?

Attorneys fees could also affect how much you recover at the end of your case. At Morgan & Morgan, our attorneys work on what is known as a contingency in order to keep our services “costless” for our clients. But what is a contingency, and how does it affect your recovery? Of course, during any lawsuit, some costs will be associated with building a solid case.  It is your attorney's job to build out the best case possible to maximize the compensation you receive, so during this time, our attorneys will cover the costs and expenses as they arise.

In a contingency fee agreement, your attorney will only receive payment when they have won your case and you have recovered compensation through a settlement or a verdict at trial. From the award you have received, your attorney will receive a fixed percentage of the compensation you recover, minus any expenses your legal team incurred to resolve your case successfully. Using the contingency method allows us to provide clients like yourself with quality legal representation regardless of your financial situation.

Ensure that after you ask these vital questions, the attorney can provide you with a hard copy of their answers. Should you find that the attorney is unable or unwilling to answer any of the questions listed above or their answer to the first question on this list is “zero,” we do not recommend you move forward with their legal services. 

You Can Connect With a Morgan & Morgan Attorney Today

Are you in search of the best attorneys to help represent your case? If so, look no further than Morgan & Morgan for all your legal needs. At Morgan & Morgan, our attorneys not only have over 35 years of experience representing clients, but they also have access to the largest resources in America, which makes them uniquely qualified to handle your case. Our law firm has represented tens of thousands of clients and recovered over $20 billion, and we want to help you, too.

Did you know it’s easier now more than ever to connect with a Morgan & Morgan attorney? You can learn more about how a Morgan & Morgan attorney may be able to help your case by completing our free, zero-obligation case evaluation form today.