It is your right to hire a competent lawyer that you trust with whatever matter you are dealing with. Sometimes you may choose one at the outset of your case only to discover that they are not a good match. No matter the reason, you should know that you can change your lawyer at any time, including in the middle of your case.
The most common complaint about lawyers are that they are difficult to get ahold of. All too frequently, we hear of clients that hire a lawyer that they can never get in contact with. Calls and emails go unreturned and communication gets pushed off over and over again. Maybe they have an unusually large caseload and are being overworked. No matter the excuse, when you hire a lawyer, you have a right to be a priority. You have the biggest interest in the progress of the case and your lawyer should frequently update you on his or her work. At Altman & Altman LLP we pride ourselves on being highly available to our clients. You can contact us any hour of the day on any day of the week. This includes weekends and holidays. Lawsuits can be stressful. The job of your lawyer is to usher you through this process as seamlessly as possible, and certainly not to add even more stress.
Many clients hire the first lawyer they speak to. You should keep in mind that the lawyer your hire could actually be the difference between winning or losing your case. It is usually a good idea to meet with a lawyer at their office before you hire them to represent you. Altman & Altman offers free initial consultations so you can meet with our attorneys and decide if we would be a good fit. You can get a feel for the culture of our office. Some people recommend paying attention to how the receptionist talks to clients calling in to see if they are actually put through to their attorney. Many firms also have testimonials from previous clients on their websites which can help you determine how they treated past clients.
Here are some questions you should ask a lawyer you are prospecting:
- Have you handled cases similar to mine?
- Have you been successful with these cases?
- How long will the process take?
- What are my options?
- How long will it take for me to reach someone at this office?
It is always easier to take these steps at the outset, but if you find you want to switch your lawyer in the middle of you case it is certainly an option. Before you fire your current lawyer, you should have another on retainer to prevent your case from being delayed. If you choose to bring your case to our firm, we will handle all of the paperwork needed to change you lawyer. There are some situations where the court may be hesitant to allow you to change representation if it would be too inconvenient. This may include a mid-trial change. Having a lawyer ready and willing to take on your case right away will usually persuade the court to allow the change. All you need to focus on is recovering from your injury. Let us worry about the rest. Feel free to call us if you are considering changing lawyers.
Mutual trust is an essential part of an attorney-client relationship and at Altman & Altman LLP we know that a case cannot be successful unless it is allotted the time and focus it deserves.
Call us for a free consultation today at 617.492.3000 or toll-free at 800.481.6199. The personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have two convenient locations – with offices located in Cambridge and Boston. We are empathetic to your unique situation and we have over 50 years of experience fighting on behalf of victims of all types of injuries.