Legal Discussions

Henry Harlow asked:


What are these new attorney-client matching services? Who are the players? What do they cost? What is the risk to me? What is the return for me? What is the buzz on them? Are they ethical as marketing for law firms? Will they save me money and are they for me? Will they get me clients I would not have otherwise?

In part one of this article we will look in depth at a relatively new wrinkle in marketing for law firms known as “attorney-client matching services”. Part one focuses on the facts about these firms. Part two gives you my conclusions and recommendations as a result of my research. First a little background is in order. The legal services market segment is expected to reach $82.5 billion in 2008 according to Euromonitor International a market intelligence firm. In recent history consumers have been finding attorneys through word-of mouth or through the yellow pages. Often the word-of mouth advice does not deliver people to the best possible solution for their particular needs and the yellow pages is certainly not a great place to select a lawyer I am sure you would agree. Additionally, according to the Pew Internet & American Life over four million consumers and small businesses currently search for legal services via the Internet every month with these numbers expected to rise to over seven million by 2007. I think you can see this is a huge market getting larger. It is imperative that attorneys understand this marketplace if for no other reason your potential clients and clients are moving to the Internet and yellow page advertising is a dying marketing for law firms vehicle. Understanding attorney-client matching services is one new way to tap into this Internet marketplace.

What I will not be talking about here is attorney-listing services. Please don’t get confused between attorney-listing services and attorney-client matching services. The two majors in the attorney-listing services arena are Lawyers dot com or FindLaw dot com that are used by many in marketing for law firms. With attorney marketing one might want to get a minimal listing on one or both of these two major sites. Both do drive a large amount of traffic to their sites for sure (in the millions of visitors per year). If you do get a listing then track your results carefully and see if being in the middle of a pack of listed attorneys actually does produce clients for you. Please don’t spend more on them than the basic listing that will run about $150 or so per month, at least until you can document results with the basic listing. Also, don’t buy your website through either of them, even if after testing you find good results, for many reasons that can be found under the Internet marketing tab on my website. One last note here, you probably don’t want to test most of the lesser attorney-listing competitors like LawInfo dot com, LawCore dot com or AttorneyFind dot com is my take, however if you do be sure to track your results. The rest of this article is about attorney-client matching services.

Attorney Marketing Via Five Attorney-Client Matching Players

In the attorney-client matching field there are five competitors for the attorney marketing dollar offering online attorney-client matching services. The first and originator is LegalMatch dot com and its newer competitor being CasePost dot com as well as a third competitor LegalFish dot com. The two big players that offer almost everything in attorney marketing, Lawyers dot com and FindLaw dot com; have also recently begun to offer a version of attorney-client matching services. Lets begin with LegalMatch that was established in 1999 and is based in San Francisco. LegalMatch uses a double blind matching system. By double blind they mean the consumer does not see identifying information about who the lawyers are and the lawyer does not see identifying information about who the consumers are although all the cards are put on the table for both to see before any contact is made between them. Through an allocation model LegalMatch makes the decision about which lawyers get the consumer’s information. Consumers can opt into “priority service” for a fee to talk with a LegalMatch staff attorney about their case and work with that attorney in selecting the attorney for their case. LegalMatch does have partnerships with the Utah State Bar Association, ATLA and NACDL. Membership fees for this marketing for law firms vehicle run from $2,500 to $25,000 per year (they will finance the membership fee if desired) depending on practice area and geographic location of the attorney. For example, a PI attorney in Los Angeles would likely be charged more than a family law attorney in Los Angeles, while the family lawyer in Peoria is likely to pay less than the family law attorney in Los Angeles. Their guarantee consists of extending your membership at no fee until your revenues have exceeded the fee you paid them. The details of the guarantee are available on their website.

Are There Legal Marketing Ethics Issues with Attorney-Client Matching?

A relevant digression here, since this model is not a lawyer referral program, a pre-paid legal service plan, a joint or cooperative advertising or a directory listing service it is not subject to ethics rules around much of marketing for law firms it has been asserted. Recently the Professional Ethics Committee of the Texas State Bar was looking into these practices and that committee received a seven-page letter (May 26, 2006) from the FTC that was agreed to by a unanimous vote of the FTC commission members that this attorney marketing practice is indeed ethical.

Already the states of North Carolina and South Carolina found the practice ethical. The Rhode Island Supreme Court specifically named in an ethics opinion that online matching services are ethical. Finally, the Utah State Bar (a mandatory bar) has retained LegalMatch as their lawyer referral service clearly indicating their thinking about LegalMatch’s ethical nature it seems to me. Naturally you do need to check with your state bar to be sure this is an ethical practice in your state. Now back to the options in the marketplace.

CasePost, based in Southern California, was established in 2002 is a second player in this area of marketing for law firms. They operate in a similar fashion as LegalMatch in matching clients with lawyers; however, the directory of attorneys is shown to the consumer immediately. The consumer can decide whether they want to remain anonymous or give their contact information to the attorneys. The consumer is limited to four attorney responses. Thus the consumer determines what attorneys will get their information. In May of 2006 CasePost has made a major expansion as a result of their partnership with HandelOnTheLaw dot com that is powered by a successful nationally syndicated radio show on over 120 stations with attorney Bill Handel. This show has been running since 1985. They also have a strategic relationship with LegalZoom dot com that began in 2006 that has increased their reach. Like LegalMatch the membership fees for this attorney marketing vehicle are from $2,500 to $25,000 per year (financing is available if desired) depending on practice area and location. Their guarantee to a member is based on a minimum amount of referrals over the year.

LegalFish is a third player in this arena. It entered the marketplace in 2003 and is based in Chicago. It is a bit different than the other two in a few ways. Like the other players the consumer can input their information and post their cases to the site as well give their identifying information or not. In a number of cases LegalFish will contact the posting consumer themselves by telephone or email to delve deeper into the needs of the consumer so they are not totally automated. There is an allocation model used by LegalFish in referring the cases to their members. Another difference is LegalFish charges a monthly fee for this marketing for law firms vehicle ranging from $180 to $750 to members that are non-contingency based practices. For contingency based practices the fee ranges from $1600 to $5000+ monthly only if the client retains the attorney. If LegalFish does not deliver a referral to a member that retains that attorney they don’t charge a fee to that attorney for the month (a form of a guarantee). Creating something of a “shared risk” system. Naturally, with this type of shared risk system, long-term success for both parties is based on LegalFish’s ability to generate new client opportunities and create demand for legal services, and their member attorneys’ ability to convert those referrals to paying clients. Both parties have to “pull their weight”. Finally, LegalFish reports they are particularly committed to serving the solo and small firm market with ten employees or less.

The next player in this marketing for law firms arena is Lawyers dot com (mentioned earlier in this article about their directory listing or attorney-listing service) with their new Attorney Match Service. If you go to their homepage what stands out on that homepage is their “Find A Lawyer Quick Search”. This is their free to the consumer attorney-listing service (this is why you might want to test a listing with them and track results). To get to the Attorney Match Service you have to know to click on “Contact Lawyers” navigation tab or notice it up there at the very top of the home page. Clicking on that takes you to a page where you input your zip code and the practice area you are seeking, however, it also tells you how many lawyers there are listed that “are interested in receiving your request”. You are required to fill in the identifying information with other case information. Once you do that you see the attorneys listed and pick the ones you want to send your request to and wait for their replies. The fee for the attorney member is $495 per year, however, you must have a biographical level listing on the site to be on the Attorney Match Service and that is $150 and up per month depending on the size of your firm. There is no guarantee for this service.

The final player in this marketing for law firms arena is Thompson’s Findlaw (mentioned earlier as an attorney-listing service) with their new attorney-matching website http://www.LegalConnection.com. The FindLaw system is similar to the Lawyers dot com system with three steps of #1 Select your legal need; #2 Tell us about your case; and #3 Choose the attorney that’s right for you. It is different from Lawyers dot com’s system since they have broken it out of their attorney-listing services completely with its own dedicated website. Their fees generally run from $500 to $1000 per month depending on your practice area and geographic location. They do not have a guarantee. They do report that they do set targets for each geographic area as well as practice combination and then will manage their marketing to get positive results for attorneys.

Well, now we have all the players in this particular niche of marketing for law firms with a lot of information. I think it would be imperative for me to mention one more item. Both Legal Match and CasePost have negative information on the Internet and it needs to be considered. If you go to Google and search just the term LegalMatch and then do the same with CasePost you will be able to find details about the negative information. One location that covers the negative information on LegalMatch with relevant links is at Wikipedia dot org (go to the site and look up LegalMatch) although that is disputed as not being sufficiently neutral in tone, which is one of Wikipedia’s requirements. If you want to see a string of negative information on CasePost go to: http://counsel.net/chatboards/marketing/topic111/6.23.04.11.34.29.html . I am not sure one needs to be overly concerned about this information since it is mostly in the past and you need to consider it.

See Part II of this article for my conclusions and recommendations as a result of my research. I can tell you now that this approach does have some merit but there are definite cautions as well so do read Part II.



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R. Sebastian Gibson asked:


As any civil or trial litigation attorney knows, whether he practices in Palm Springs or Palm Desert, CA, San Diego, California, Orange County, CA, La Jolla, Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Santa Ana, Irvine, Ventura, Anaheim, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, Riverside, San Bernardino, the Coachella Valley, La Quinta, Indio, Yucca Valley, or Joshua Tree, depositions can make or break a case. A good defense attorney can make even the calmest deponent nervous. And then there are some deponents who can drive a litigation lawyer nut.

Many times, clients want to know how to answer deposition questions.  First of all, I tell my clients to answer truthfully.  Then I advise clients not to watch how politicians answer questions.  This is what can happen if a client ignores that advice.

“You said to the policeman investigating the scene of the accident that you weren’t wearing a seat belt yet today you state that you were wearing one,” the defense attorney stated to my client.

My client smiled sweetly at the news commentator, just like Sarah Palin did to Charles Gibson in her first television interview.

“Would you care to explain this discrepancy?” the attorney asked. The attorney had introduced himself as Charles Johnson.

“Well, Charlie, I believe everyone should wear seat belts when they are in a car.

“Okay, but can you explain why you told the police officer at the scene that you weren’t wearing a seat belt?”

My client smiled sweetly again, giving the attorney her best impression of a political candidate.

“Charles, I believe in a woman’s choice, however I feel even more strongly about the sanctity of life.”

“You’re not going to answer the question, is that what you’re saying?” the attorney asked, looking over his own eyeglasses.

“Well, I really think that there are much bigger issues to discuss,” the client answered, putting the attorney on the defensive.

“Don’t you think it’s important for us to know if what you say now is different from what you said earlier?”

My client looked directly at the attorney. “Charlie, I believe what is important here is that your client ran a red light.”

“Lets move on to the fact that you claim you never had a back injury before this accident.. How do you reconcile that with your treatment for back pain prior to this accident?”

“Charlie, as you know, you can have a visit to a doctor without it being for an injury. I have to say this type of questioning borders on being sexist.”

“Did you or didn’t you have treatment for a back condition prior to this accident?” the attorney said, raising his voice.

“It’s not what you go to for a doctor, it’s what the doctor does for you, Charles, and when you realize that women are different from men, you’ll learn that women doctors do things differently than male doctors.”

“You’re refusing to answer my questions.”

“I’ve answered all of your questions,” my client said.

“No,” the attorney said. “All you’ve done is give me stock answers to the questions you want me to give and not answer the questions I’m asking.” The opposing attorney turned to me and realized I hadn’t made a single objection.

“Please, ask me your question, and I’ll be as honest as I can.”

“Is it true that this has been your third accident this year and that each time you’ve been rear ended.”

My client smiled and the attorney asking the questions knew he would not be getting an answer to this one that he could use.

“I believe that God has a plan for each of us and sometimes he tests our resolve.”

“That’s your answer?” the attorney asked. “You might as well be speaking in tongues right now.”

“God has a plan for all of us, Charles, even for you,” my client said.

“If it’s to drive us nuts, it’s working,” the attorney said. “I’ll give you one last chance to answer a question. Did you cause this accident?”

“Charles, what may be interpreted as a cause could sometimes be otherwise viewed as simply trying to avoid the, you know, impossibly difficult or, trying to prevent that kind of thing, then again, even when you are driving carefully, these accidents…and this could be viewed as one of those situations. Does that answer your question?”

Two hours later when the deposition had ended, the attorney was looking frazzled.

“How did I do?” my client asked me after the deposition was over.

I smiled sweetly like any good politician. “It’s not how well you did,” I said. “It’s how many psychiatric treatments that attorney is going to need before he is able to attempt another deposition.”

Note - Refusing to answer questions can lead to having a motion filed against the party who refuses to answer deposition questions, and an imposition of a fine against the deponent who abuses the discovery process in this way. Sadly, many deponents and attorneys abuse the deposition process when they think the other party’s attorney won’t take the time to file a motion to compel. An attempt to evade questions as a politician often does, or answering with stock answers instead of providing answers responsive to the questions is clearly improper. And politicians who answer questions in this manner are not setting a good example. On the other hand, some of Sarah Palin’s answers to questions put to her by Katie Couric, similar to this deponent’s last answer, were so incomprehensible it is hard to know how a judge might view answers such as hers if the attorney fails to follow up with additional questions.

Visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com if you are involved in litigation in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, Riverside, San Diego, Orange County or anywhere in Southern California. We have the knowledge and resources to represent you as your California Litigation Lawyer and Palm Springs Litigation Attorney, or your civil litigation attorney or civil litigation defense lawyer in Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, Coachella, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and throughout Southern California.



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Chicago Malpractice Attorney asked:


A Chicago medical malpractice attorney can turn out to be your best friend in the case that you become a victim of a careless doctor.

There are many people who file a malpractice suit every year for something they feel a doctor did that could have been avoided. As children we are all told that we have to go to the doctor to get treated when we are sick, but what happens when your doctor visit becomes a living nightmare?

That is when you call a malpractice attorney. Many doctors do not like to treat patients that have a past medical history for a particular problem because of the fear of a lawsuit. But the point of the matter is that if they were to treat people with pre-existing conditions they could prevent a great deal of lawsuits from being filed against them.

Malpractice can occur in many different ways, such as experimental surgery or a surgery that is not performed to the best of the hospital’s ability (ie: using cheaper, less effective methods to save the hospital money, and in turn, sacrificing a patient’s health). Basically, any situation in which a patient suffers due to the carelessness of a doctor is considered a form of medical malpractice. A Chicago malpractice lawyer can help you seek justice in any such cases.

Chicago medical malpractice attorneys want people to know that they have rights and they should not have to fall subject to any sort of harsh treatment justice shall be done for all. A lawyer will evaluate your case carefully and help assist you in the right legal action that needs to be taken to assure that your human rights are upheld.

If you have any doubts about treatment you have received recently from a doctor, it would be best for you to call or meet with a malpractice attorney as soon as possible to discuss the case. No one should have to suffer in silence, and the chances are that you are not the only patient who has suffered at the hands of your doctor.



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Mr. Knowledgeable VI asked:


What are the similarites and differences between the Attorney General of a state in the United States and the Attorney General of the United States of America appointed by the President and approved by the US Senate?

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luvisblind0679 asked:


I’m on a very tight budget, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be pursuing child support, and I’m looking for an attorney in the Atlanta area that will accept payments instead of the entire $2500 or more retainer. Do I just call and ask if they are willing to accept payments?

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Charlotte Foreclosure Attorney - Zellers Rudd asked:


There is no doubt that it is entirely possible for you to work on your own with the bank to come to a mutually amicable solution to your foreclosure problem, but you must also keep in mind that time is of the essence in dealing with loan modifications.  While you are trying to deal with the lender or servicer precious time is slipping away. 

Most lenders and servicers continue on with the foreclosure process while you negotiate a modification or other alternative.  Your denial of a modification may not occur until the day before the foreclosure sale.  And if you do receive a modification offer, the offer might be unfair or possibly contingent on you giving up important rights. 

There are no hard and fast rules on what lenders and servicers are willing to do, so it would be very helpful to have a skilled attorney represent you and present your situation in the best light possible. An attorney can review your financial information and help you devise a strategy to reach your end goal whether it be to modify your loan to a fixed or lower rate, add back payments to the principal, temporarily reduce payments, or just to help give you enough time to sell your home or negotiate a short sale, deed in lieu, or other alternative.

An attorney can also review your loans and servicer/lenders’ actions to see if there are any violations of HOEPA, RESPA, Reg B, the Fair Debt Collections  Act,  the Fair Credit Reporting Act,  acts regarding subprime loans, predatory lending acts or any of the other consumer/borrower protections found in North Carolina and/or Federal law.  There are many rules and regulations out there that protect borrowers and consumers that you may be able to take advantage of. 

Additionally, an attorney often has contacts in Loss Mitigation, Short Sale, and other departments within servicers and lenders which can increase the efficiency of you loan modification review and so that you don’t have to spend your valuable time on hold with servicer or lender departments just to have your modification paperwork lost or to be juggled from one department to another. An attorney can make these calls, negotiate your position, propose many alternatives, advise you at each juncture and keep you updated throughout the process instead of you spending large amounts of time in limbo wondering if you are doing everything possible and whether you have explored every option to reach your goal whatever that may be.  

You may only have one shot at a loan modification or other alternative and by employing the services of an attorney you can feel assured that all possibilities and avenues have been explored. 

For more information on loan modifications and other foreclosure alternatives, please visit:  http://zellersrudd.com/areas_of_practice/charlotte_foreclosure_alternatives.aspx 

 



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Paul Finn asked:


The Lasting Power of Attorney was introduced by The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and came into effect on the 1st October 2007. It replaces the Enduring Power of Attorney although EPA’s made prior to the 1st October 2007 will continue to be valid.  You may make two types of LPA - the Property and affairs LPA and the Welfare LPA.  As the name suggests, the Property and Affairs LPA deals with financial matters whereas the Welfare LPA covers personal and healthcare decisions.

Choice of Attorney

The person making the LPA (the Donor) should appoint an Attorney they trust and in whom they have complete confidence. The Attorney must be over 18 and must not be an un-discharged or interim bankrupt person.  More than one Attorney can be appointed to act either together, independently or together in respect of some matters and independently in respect of others. If the LPA is silent on how two or more Attorneys are to act they must act together. Under LPA’s it is possible for the person making the LPA to appoint a replacement Attorney.

Role of Attorney

An Attorney’s role to make all the decisions (subject to any restrictions or conditions contained in the LPA) that the Donor would have made himself and in reaching these decisions the Attorney must comply with The Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Code of Practice. Under a Property and Affairs LPA the Attorney will commonly be able to pay bills and expenses, collect income and benefits, manage Bank and Building Society Accounts, buy and sell property, complete and submit Tax Returns and make gifts within the statutory limits. Under a Welfare LPA the Attorney is likely to be given power to consent or refuse particular types of healthcare, including medical treatment and may even be able to consent to or refuse life sustaining treatment on behalf of the person that has made the LPA.  The Attorney may also be able to decide whether the Donor remains in his own home or moves into residential or nursing care and also more day to day decisions such as the Donor’s diet, dress or daily routine.  LPA’s can be restricted or contain conditions limiting the Attorney’s authority.  The Donor can also, if he wishes, include guidance for the Attorney in the LPA.  This guidance is not legally binding but could be invaluable to the Attorney.

The Certificate Provider

Not only must LPA’s be signed by the Donor and Attorneys and witnessed, a Certificate must also be given by a third party, the “Certificate Provider”. A Certificate Provider is an independent person chosen by the Donor to complete a Certificate contained in the LPA to confirm that in his or her opinion the Donor:-

understands the purpose and content of the LPA; understands the extent of the powers he is giving to the Attorney; is not being pressurised, tricked or placed under duress by a third party to make the LPA; and that there is nothing else that would prevent the LPA being created.

The Certificate is vital and without it the LPA is invalid and cannot be registered. The Certificate Provider can either be someone who knows the Donor personally and has done so for at least two years or a person with the relevant professional skills and expertise to certify the LPA eg. a Solicitor, Barrister, Doctor or Social Worker.

Registering the LPA

An LPA, whether it is a Property and Affairs LPA or a Welfare LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used.  The registration fee is £150 and the registration process is likely to take between 6 and 8 weeks. Once registered, a Property and Affairs LPA can be used immediately but a Welfare LPA can only be used once it is registered and the Donor has lost his mental capacity to make decisions. When making the LPA the Donor can nominate up to 5 people to be notified of the application to register.  Those notified will have an opportunity to object to registration if they have concerns for example regarding the integrity of the Attorney.  It is not a requirement that persons are nominated but it is advisable. A registered LPA will be added to the OPG database and searches can be made by third parties to see whether an LPA is in existence.

Revoking an LPA

An LPA can be revoked by the Donor at any time provided he has mental capacity.  The Attorney can also disclaim the appointment.  There are also circumstances when an LPA will be revoked.  These are:-

when the sole Attorney dies or is made bankrupt.  If two or more Attorneys are appointed, the appointment of the surviving or non bankrupt Attorney will continue; when the Donor dies; when the Donor is made bankrupt (NB this rule does not apply to a Welfare LPA); when the Attorney is a spouse or civil partner and the marriage ends in divorce or the civil partnership is dissolved.  The LPA may, however, specify that the appointment continues notwithstanding such divorce or dissolution.

However, a decision to give someone authority to manage your financial affairs is not one that should be entered into lightly.

It is therefore advisable to consult a Solicitor who is a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner with considerable experience of dealing with these types of matters if you are considering granting a Lasting Power of Attorney. 



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Attorney asked:


“For the lawyer marketing, Internet is a key instrument for competent perspective that enlightens the services of the organization and then transfers them to clients. For users, the network easier to make the formal study and the procedure for locate a lawyer.

Lawyer marketing helps organizations the right to use the Internet to connect with customers rather experienced. Lawyer marketing make websites and on online advertising policies that unite scientific knowledge with the deep awareness of official business. Law firm advertising consultants and local consultants offer Web service and modern explanations for each organization to create a right to be visible in the crowd, the change of the Internet in effective and successful client team of growth for lawyers.

High Bar For the full list of options for solutions based on Web advertising Lawyer marketing includes knowledge of search engine optimization, site plan, and customized material. In addition to the belt until the influence of Lawyers Max-base the most beloved of online legal information - to force Internet traffic to our clients’ Web sites and personal pages.

It is very important for you to have a certified site, possibly with a blog attached to it. Then you have to work on your search engine optimization to ensure that crops of the website’s Internet explorations of related phrases or keywords. Above that, you have to make an online print program through editorials and press releases for their wider dissemination and coverage.

Here are some key factors that suggest time and time again for clients:

* A well-designed website with lots of content loaded with keywords

* Search Engine Optimization for add ranking in Google, Yahoo, and the rest.

* A production plan leads to the transfer of the client’s website to customers.

* A blog officially allowed to show their knowledge and improve their web presence in the fullness of time

* Some kind of public relations program online, through the ad and the piece from the writings of

* The strength, determination and a strong desire to achieve something

This way to overlap of web advertising is the means to successful outcomes. A number of lawyers and law firms that until now was aware of this, and are achieving new levels of efficiency of production as a direct result. Lawyer marketing ensure that you meet all the demands of customers. Lawyer marketing ensure that the website design, sale or lease is done correctly and there is room for improvement left. Lawyer marketing have a group of web designers and specialized professionals and consultants who will ensure that whatever you are doing is simply excellent and satisfactory. Lawyer marketing will definitely help you climb the ladder of success in this competitive business. “



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spidermans girl asked:


I need to know how to depose my former attorney. Do I need to petition the court or can I do it myself? If so, is it done by letter (similar to an interrogatory) or only in person?

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Nick Johnson asked:


Mesothelioma is a rare but fatal form of cancer that almost always develops as a result of asbestos exposure. This disease typically affects the lining that encases the lungs, but can also occur in the chest or abdominal cavity. Most people with mesothelioma will die within one to five years of diagnosis, depending on how far advanced their disease is. Being diagnosed with mesothelioma is a distressing time for the sufferer and their family, and it can be difficult to cope with the strain and expense of dealing with the disease.

The stress of coping with the expense of treatment and lifestyle changes associated with mesothelioma can be alleviated considerably by employing an attorney who can help you fight for compensation from the company that was responsible for your asbestos exposure. A mesothelioma attorney who is experienced at dealing with these types of cases can work with you to secure not only compensation, but also justice for the pain and suffering you experience.

Choosing your Attorney

Choosing a mesothelioma attorney may seem like a daunting task-there are many attorneys who are specialized in dealing with such cases. Ideally you’ll want to choose an attorney who has plenty of experience, with a proven track record of winning or settling lawsuits successfully. Of course, no attorney will be able to tell you any personal details about the clients they have worked with, but a good attorney should still be able to provide you with general details such as how many cases they have dealt with, how quickly these cases were resolved, and the amount of compensation their clients received.

There are several other questions you should ask when selecting an attorney. One of the most important is how the fees for your case will be handled. Most people with mesothelioma will find that money is tight, and because of this, many attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means your attorney is paid only when you receive compensation-if you do not receive any money, the attorney does not charge a fee.

It’s also a good idea to ask a prospective attorney what your role will be in the case, and how the case will be handled. Try to get an overview of what the process will be like, both before and during the court case. You may also want to ask the attorney what percentage of their mesothelioma cases were settled out of court. Many cases of this type are settled before the court date, and this not only means the process is completed more quickly, but it also puts much less strain on you.

Selecting your attorney as quickly as possible once you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma is important. All states have a statute of limitations on this type of case, which means that if you do not file a lawsuit within a certain period of time, you lose your right to make a claim. In most states, this period is one to three years after diagnosis-your attorney will know all the details, but your job is finding that attorney quickly to prevent any unnecessary delays in getting your case resolved. However, do not feel pressured to select the first attorney you talk with-in most cases there will be time to talk to several different people and choose the one that you feel most comfortable with.

Working with your Attorney

Once you have chosen an attorney, the next step is working with them to put together the facts of your case. This can be a somewhat difficult task, simply because there can be a gap of up to 40 years between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis. That means it may be hard to remember exactly when, where and how you were exposed to asbestos. Your attorney will be able to help you with this-most attorneys will have considerable research tools at their disposal, and you won’t need to do any of this work alone.

Most mesothelioma attorneys will make every effort to build a case with as little inconvenience to you as possible. In most cases, you’ll be required to sign documents that give your attorney the legal right to gather medical and other relevant information. You may need to give depositions to your attorney and perhaps to the defendant’s attorney as well. An experienced mesothelioma attorney will understand that you may not be up to repeated visits to their office and will do their best to make sure the process does not put too much strain on you.



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