15 Questions to Ask before Hiring a Lawyer

Course details

Learning how to work with attorneys is an essential skill for executives and managers as well as a skill every business owner should know. Lawyers often expect their clients to know what law firms do for their clients, but the reality is that most people are unprepared to work with attorneys and often don’t understand what they do or what questions to ask.

Dana Robinson, an attorney, managing partner, and business operator, knows what clients should ask their attorneys. In this course, he presents 15 questions to ask a lawyer. Learn how to better work with your attorneys by understanding the questions you can ask when you are hiring an attorney, or even after you’ve already engaged counsel. Is the law firm size right for your needs? Is the lawyer an expert in the areas of law you need? Is a retainer required? Explore these questions and more to become more knowledgeable about what lawyers do so you can engage their services more effectively and efficiently.

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Overview

1. Before You Start

02 - Get your story straight
03 - First interactions

2. Asking Questions

04 - Ask about a case like yours that they've worked on
05 - Ask if your matter is in the right jurisdiction
06 - Ask if they have a gut reaction to your matter
07 - Ask if they think you are wrong
08 - Ask about billing
09 - Ask about retainer fees
10 - Ask about minimum billing
11 - Ask how much of the work is done by associates
12 - Ask what they believe a likely outcome will be
13 - Ask if the scope of the case is entirely in the lawyer s expertise
14 - Ask about timelines
15 - Does this case go to court right away
16 - Ask if mediation or arbitration is required
17 - Ask about the likely out-of-pocket expenses aside from your fees
18 - Ask if an expert witness likely to be involved

Conclusion

19 - Conclusion