What Should You Not Say To A Lawyer?
At some point, everyone needs a lawyer to resolve legal issues. Lawyers are needed to address aspects of everyday life in which the law is a key aspect. For example, a professional lawyer is often needed in the following areas of life, regardless of wrongdoing:
Things To Never Say To A Lawyer
Business Law
Family Law
And more.
I Have Already Done The Research For You
It is unlikely (albeit more likely with ubiquitous access to the internet) that a patient would walk into the office of an oncologist and say, “Don’t worry doc! I did the research for you.” Here, the client is implying that because he or she has already done some degree of legal research of what they believe is the key legal issue, the attorney should charge them less money.
Telling an attorney you have already done the research is like telling a contractor you have already laid the foundation. The attorney will need to perform the research, whether you claim to have conducted the research or not, to ensure that the research is properly done.
Attorneys have an ethical duty to provide clients with competent and diligent legal assistance to protect their legal rights. Consequently, all aspects of legal representation must be done and confirmed for accuracy by the attorney.
Therefore, any research done by the client beforehand is a duplicative effort because it will need to be reviewed by the attorney regardless. The lawyer attended law school, passed the bar exam, and took continuing legal education courses. Let the lawyer do the research for you.
I Don’t Have Money For The Retainer
Most people would not bring items to the register unless they intend to purchase those items and have the money to do so; why would you schedule an appointment or consultation with an attorney for legal advice unless you have the money and intend to hire that attorney? In general, attorneys have a fixed retainer amount dependent upon the case and cause of action at issue.
All legal services are provided under flat fee agreements at the Law Offices of Dizengoff and Yost. Flat fee agreements eliminate potential unforeseen costs and ever-increasing legal costs. Regardless, a client should come to the consultation ready to execute a service contract.
Therefore, the client should have the money prepared if and when the flat fee agreement is signed. If you need a lawyer to advise and advocate for you in a legal proceeding, you should ideally be ready to move forward at the consultation.
What One Shouldn't Say Is, I’m Only Here For A Free Consultation
One thing on What Should You Not Say To A Lawyer is that I am only here for the free consultation. This is akin to telling a car dealer you are only there for the test drive. Why should the attorney waste his or her time with you if you have no intention of hiring them?
Scheduling a consultation implies a good faith belief that the client intends to hire the attorney. There have been instances where clients have scheduled consultations with all attorneys within a specified area with the intention to deprive the opposing party in interest from potentially using those attorneys based on the conflict of interest created by the consultation. Additionally, consultation is meant to serve as a genuine discussion of the causes of action and not merely a therapy appointment for the client.
I Forgot I Had an Appointment With Another Lawyer
Unlike many legal professionals who charge the client a penalty for failing to appear at an appointment, absent sufficient prior notice. Lawyers are more understanding and do not penalize their clients for failing to make a scheduled consultation. However, the absence of a penalty does not mean that failing to make the appointment does not result in opportunity costs for the lawyer. Specifically, the time earmarked for the missing client is time that the lawyer could have spent working on another legal matter or meeting with a prospective client.
When a client misses an appointment.
It indicates to the attorney that the client is likely to miss a court appearance or an installment payment on the fee agreement. That is, missing an appointment for a consultation makes a bad first impression, that impression being that the client is unreliable and, in turn, potentially untruthful.
Most attorneys are paid by the hour. Consequently, time is especially important to every attorney. Therefore, appointments are proof that the attorney is willing to forgo potential profits to discuss your matter. Failing to attend a scheduled appointment is money lost for the attorney and reflects poorly on the client.
My Case Is Very Easy And Not Too Complicated
Almost no case is easy or uncomplicated. If the case was not complicated, then why seek legal counsel? There is almost no way to tell if a case is simple or complicated until serious and comprehensive discovery and legal research have been performed by the attorney and their staff.
Issues not readily apparent or knowable, until discovery and investigations have been completed, are the norm rather than the exception. Often, a client will either fail to mention a key fact or forget to mention one that turns out to be the lynchpin of the entire matter.
Furthermore, until discovery is performed, the attorneys have to exchange information and legal documents with opposing counsel. There is no way of knowing whether a case is complicated or vice versa.
Why Do You Charge So Much Money
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. In law, as with anything, you get what you pay for. Most attorneys charge around $500/hour. Additionally, the are ethical rules that limit the amount of money an attorney can charge to prevent client exploitation.
Therefore, it is likely that an attorney is charging less money. When you hire a lawyer, the legal fees should be reasonable. At the Law Offices of Dizengoff and Yost, the flat fee agreement ensures that costs become known from the outset.
I Think I Can Manage This Case By Myself
There is a reason even the largest companies in the world retain counsel. Abraham Lincoln said it best: “He who represents himself, has a fool for a client.” When a client tells his or her attorney that they believe they can represent themselves, two issues come to the forefront of the attorney’s mind:
Why are you wasting my time with a consultation?
This client will become a serious problem because they believe they know the law.
Top Things What Should You Not Say To A Lawyer?
This issue is common amongst “jailhouse” lawyers who spend their ample free time in the jail law library reviewing case books. These jailhouse lawyers will read and misunderstand a statute and write or call their attorney demanding a certain motion be filed. The attorney will advise against such an action, usually because the motion is not relevant to the case or is untimely. The client will then invariably claim ineffective legal help of counsel.
Top Things On What Should You Not Say To A Lawyer
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