Finding an attorney who can represent your employment case is not easy. You need to be very careful while making the final choice. Asking questions to your prospective employment lawyers will help a lot.
Here are top questions you must ask your employment lawyer before hiring:
Do you have Experience with My Type of Legal Matter?
Knowing experience of a lawyer in employment law is extremely important. You would want to know the number of employment law cases the attorney has taken. Most importantly, you need to know how these cases ended for the clients. In case, you don’t feel comfortable with the experience of attorney, do not go ahead. Some lawyers are defensive while some just move around the question when answering them. If you think the lawyer is acting in this way during the meeting, he may not be the right one to handle your employment case.
What outcome do you think are most likely for my situation?
Since you are fighting your case for a reason, you would want to know the outcome. The employment lawyer you plan to hire must be able to give you an assessment of the case. Post detailed analysis; he should also provide you with an educated estimate of how things could go. Positive or negative, the lawyer’s duty is to prepare you for the outcome ahead of time. Although it is not possible to predict the exact outcome, they must be able to assure you that they will be with you throughout. So make sure you ask the lawyer about his policy for returning calls and emails.
What would you require for evaluating my case?
The attorney would need several documentations from you. This will help him to review when building a case against your employer. It is really helpful to get a complete list of what he would need from you. This will help you both to move forward in the right direction. Additionally, you should know their policy for getting in touch with you for any additional information needed for the case.
Do you Mainly Handle Employment Matters or is it a Small Percentage of your Practice?
Many smaller law firms have recruited lawyers focusing on manifold aspects of a specific type of law. However, it is always helpful to know about the supporting team of attorney. Know about the size of team, the professionals working in it, their experience, expertise, and approach to employment cases.
Lawyers are very busy. However, they should make efforts to help clients feel at ease. If your lawyer is not in a mood to listen to you or shows he’s too busy, do not hire him. If he has no time to speak to you, he’ll have no time to handle your case too.
Do I have Other Options?
Taking a case to trial is up to the employee. Some might want to take their case to trial while others might not. The approach of employment attorney to this question is crucial as they should have your best interest. In case, you feel that the attorney coaxes you to settle even if you wish to take the case to trial or vice-versa, he may not be the best employment law professional for you. Speak to another attorney and interview him to take the case further.
To Sum Up
Hiring an employment attorney is a serious task. Since your case is 100% dependent on the attorney, you must make special efforts to know him. Ask a few questions to know about the skills, expertise, and experience of the attorney. The idea is to look for a law professional who is qualified and holds ample experience to represent your specific case.
