Attorneys receive tens to hundreds of calls a month from people wanting to sue other people. Many times attorneys have a matter of minutes in which they must separate the people who have a legitimate claim from those who do not based on the information provided by to them. Many cases are passed on by attorneys for a variety of reasons, including: being overly emotional, trying to sue numerous people for numerous claims, being disorganized, being unclear about your claim, and not having any evidence to support your claim. This is a general guide to how to approach an attorney to get him or her interested in your case. This information is even more important if you are looking to hire an attorney on a contingency fee basis.
Do Not Let Your Emotions Get The Best Of You
Most civil cases involve high levels of emotional duress. It is best to control your emotions while speaking with your attorney in order to keep the conversation focused on the validity of your claim. Attorneys do not want to be involved with or responsible for an emotionally unstable client. Think of your attorney as a business associate and not your therapist.
Do Not Try To Sue Everyone
Trying to sue everyone involved in a situation or trying to sue many people for many things makes you look lawsuit happy and may distract from a valid claim. When approaching an attorney focus your claim only on the most relevant person(s) involved. If you want to sue other people involved ask for your attorney’s opinion first, do not start your conversation off with a laundry list of people who have done you wrong.
Have A Timeline Of Events
Attorneys are very busy people and are use to being paid hourly, therefore in an initial interview they want things to move as quickly as possible. Before you contact an attorney, write out a timeline of events and a brief description of background information that is relevant to your case. Any attorney will appreciate your due diligence and is more likely to take your claim seriously.
Only Discuss Facts And Background Information Relevant To Your Claim
As mentioned before, many civil cases involve emotions and usually a lot of background information. Providing background to your case is very important. However, only background information that is directly related to your claim should be provided. Do not include every argument you have ever had with your sister if you are in an inheritance dispute, or every conversation you had with a former boss you are suing for unpaid wages, only provide the attorney with the discussions you had that are relevant to your claim.
Have Evidence Ready To Support Your Claim
As you have already prepared a timeline and background information, have all documentation that supports your claim ready to give to the attorney. Documentation can include: contracts, emails, letters, bills, invoices and written witness statements. In most cases, if you do not have proof, you do not have a claim. If you take the time to organize your effort, your attorney will take you and your claim more seriously. Once you have compiled this information, submit it to your attorney prior to your scheduled meeting so your attorney has time to review your claim and you can get the most out of your consultation
The attorneys at Miller Legal Group are always here to help. If you are interested in pursuing a possible claim please call, 312.929.2233, or email us at elewis@millerlegalgroup.com. Our attorneys offer free, no-obligation consultations.
This article is intended solely to be informative and should not be considered legal advice.
