- Make sure you communicate your expectations or goals with your lawyer prior to hiring the lawyer.
- Pay your lawyer as agreed.
- Make sure you keep your lawyer’s office informed of your current address, telephone and email at all times and the best and quickest method to reach you.
- Be sure you are familiar with the complaint or conflict resolution process within your lawyer’s office.
- Tell your lawyer the truth so that a more accurate analysis can be made regarding your case and to prevent your lawyer from be caught off guard with the truth.
- Be sure to listen to both the good and especially the bad aspects or risks of your case.
- Communicate updates with your lawyer promptly.
- Tell your lawyer all the facts, both good and bad. Some details you may perceive as “bad” may be easily managed to help your case.
- Keep your appointments or at least reschedule with ample notice to the lawyer’s office.
- Ask questions if you don’t understand.
- Don’t harass or call repeatedly to your lawyer’s office, especially about small matters.
- Avoid getting into arguments with the lawyer’s staff or talking negatively about the lawyer with his or her staff.
- Don’t sign any papers until you understand what you are signing and why.
- Avoid calls after normal business hours, weekends and holidays and while you are intoxicated.
- Be the primary or only person your lawyer speaks to; don’t allow family members or loved ones to try to control or dominate your lawyer-client relationship.