Communications and customer care is often not a solicitors' strong point (surprisingly enough).
Pretending to be experts in all aspects of law can be. After all, it's a legal matter, isn't it?
But think about it - would you send your brand new BMW to a 1960s Trebant car mechanic? After all, it's a car, isn't it? Litigation is expensive and life changing.
Litigation expertise needs to be field specific developed over a period of time.
To ensure you are making the best possible choice, ask a prospective solicitor these simple but important questions:
How many cases have they dealt with respect to this issue?How many have they won?
Ask for some examples of those wins (as they should be in the public domain).
Ask examples of some you lost? (If they reply they have never lost any, run a mile because they would be lying).
Please give me contacts I can talk to you that are happy with your service? (Of course they are not going to give you bad ones, are they? But if they can't provide any at all, then there is a message in that, isn't there?).
Who can you talk to in the firm if they are not around that can pick up the file and run with it.
For the most part, do they use counsel to or do they write their own defences? (A red alert if counsel, because that demonstrates a lack of knowledge and confidence in themselves, not to mention the astronomic cost and a further removal of you as the person who knows exactly what happened).
Do they use agents to represent at distance courts? (Insist they use known counsel or themselves in these matters, it is worth the expense - quality of agents is a real issue).
And run a mile if you get fobbed off with them saying we can deal with any litigation but they can't provide any real sustained experience of dealing with your type of litigation.
Once you are as satisfied as you can be with the fact they can do the job, it doesn't stop there.
How to manage your solicitor
Ask for monthly invoices so you can stay on top of costs and payments, even suggest to them that if they do not invoice monthly you may not be able to pay their bills.
Alternatively, if you are really strapped for cash, don't ask for any bills. Solicitors are renowned for being slow to invoice and chase for payment - but when it does arrive, do not be surprised if it is a whopper, and expect a hard time if you don't or can't pay.
Keep abreast of the evolving situation as to probability of success - discuss with the solicitor when a settlement might be most appropriate.
Put all communications in writing - even if you have a phone conversation confirm what was said in writing - by email will do.
Many people think that you hand it to the solicitor and that is it, the case will take care of itself. You could not be further from the truth. They can only act on what you tell and give them, you have been involved in the detail and as brilliant as solicitors think they are (and they are often not), most of them are not psychic, so don't make assumptions and don't put them in a position where they are second guessing you - it's bad enough for them that they have to do that regarding the other side, they really are on a losing wicket if they are having to do that to their client as well.
And you have to do your bit to. If the solicitor is asking for documents, a statement or information, provide them in a timely manner. Providing the information a day, hours or minutes before a court hearing is hardly going to enable a solicitor to act in your best interest.
And you need to tell the solicitor everything the other side knows or are likely to know that is even slightly relevant to the case - too many cases are lost by a late entry piece of evidence, or evidence that is overlooked, that blows your story of events apart - don't take that gamble.
Mel Loades
Personal Guarantee
...how to minimise your exposure when yours gets called
http://www.personal-guarantee.co.uk/
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