7 Things You Need to Know About Lawyers

7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LAWYERS Or Help your lawyer help you

1. Early involvement of your lawyer should save you time and money. It is often easier and cheaper to be the ambulance at the top of the cliff rather than at the bottom.

2. You and your lawyer should be a team working together.

3. Tell your lawyer what you want.

4. To save you time and costs:

  • Prepare for meetings and telephone calls by getting everything ready first.
  • Use time wisely – one phone call or one well thought out and thorough email are better than 3 or 4 short phone calls or emails, as often lawyers charge on a time cost basis for each telephone call and email.
  • Write things down for your lawyer – most lawyers can read far quicker than you can tell them things orally. It helps your lawyer with note taking and written notes can be reviewed at any time. An email or a typed or handwritten note is fine.

5. Provide your lawyer with all information that may be relevant:

  • Often that will be written or typed notes or a longish email with one or two attachments (unless agreed with your lawyer anything larger should be delivered physically).
  • Usually the sequence of events is important i.e. what happened first, second, third (so sort out into order oldest/first to most recent).
  • Often that will require:
    • Background to you
    • Background to the event
    • Then what happened? (i.e. the event that is a concern, problem, etc).
    • Then what has happened since the event?

6. Really urgent matters are best dealt with by telephone or fax not email. Many people in business get overloaded with incoming email and Lawyers are no exception. Sometimes email is not delivered in as short a time as people expect.

7. Things may take time so if not urgent allow your lawyer time to read and think about an email or letter before you chase your lawyer.