How to Select an Attorney - Tip #1

Remember: You’re the boss

Businesses are used to hiring lawyers. They hire lawyers to handle everything from patents to real estate, taxes to litigation. In bigger companies, the hiring is done by in-house lawyers who not only know the law, but also the lawyers. They can quickly separate the preeminent lawyers from the pretenders.

Consumers are at a big disadvantage when it comes to hiring lawyers. Most people have never seen the inside of a law firm, much less interviewed and hired a lawyer. The entire process can be intimidating and overwhelming.

In the coming series of posts, we thought it would be helpful to provide consumers with a list of tips on how to interview attorneys and assess legal credentials, skills and experience.

We can’t guarantee you’ll become as skilled as an in-house lawyer in selecting legal talent, but at least you’ll have a game plan and a strategy for the selection process that will steer you in the right direction.

Our first tip is a simple one. It pertains to your mindset. Our suggestion: Relax. Remember that you’re in charge. You’re the one doing the hiring. The lawyer is applying for work. If anyone should be nervous, it’s the lawyer.

Shannon Carey
Attorney At Law
Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey
800 Marquette Avenue, Suite 900
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612-333-9712