Our Relationship With You
A time honored tradition and a two-way street, the Attorney-Client relationship is a special thing. In seeking to provide you with representation of the highest caliber we will make a number of commitments to you. By the same token we ask you to do the same.
A successful Attorney-Client Relationship requires several things:
Candid Communication All good relationships require candid and open communication. The same is true of the Attorney-Client relationship. All of our conversations and communications with you will be considered confidential. The information you provide us in confidence will remain confidential. We will not otherwise reveal any confidences or secrets without your consent, except as necessary to our representation of you.We will see that you get copies of important documents and correspondence, and keep you informed of all court dates and other developments in your case.
The most successful claims and the best defenses are never contrived by lawyers, but come from listening to clients explain what they know about what happened. So, we will need you to be completely open in providing information about yourself and the circumstances surrounding your case. We may need extensive information about your background, some of which may be embarrassing or difficult to disclose. We will expect you to keep us informed about anything that happens that might affect your case. Please trust that we will only use this information as necessary to advance your case.
You are an important member of the Team. After all, it is your case. We value the information and suggestions you provide, and expect you to provide input as we go about the business of preparing and presenting your case. Your lawyer may not be available when you call to give information or pose a question. We expect you to take advantage of the fact that all staff members are familiar with your case, and feel free to provide information or pose your questions to the staff member that is available when you call. If you have a problem or question requiring your lawyer’s personal attention, and they are not immediately available, our staff is trained to assess the situation and get you a response. Be patient with them and give them time to do their job.
Work And Cooperation Recognizing we cannot control every aspect of a case, or the actions of other parties, we will work diligently and conscientiously to develop an understanding of your case, your needs and your expectations. We will work hard to achieve your goals to the extent it is possible. Of course, we will need your full and timely cooperation and assistance. We need you to be available and accessible during business hours to review documents, meet with our investigator, or forensic experts, and prepare for court. And, we need you to be patient. Good legal resolutions rarely result from a rush to judgment or a race to the courthouse.
We see clients by appointment only and try to schedule our week to block time to work on specific cases. This allows us to devote the necessary time and resources to investigate, research and prepare your case. We will try to provide you with as much advance notice of any demands we will make on your time, as we can.
Similarly, we ask that you call ahead and schedule all office visits. When a client drops by without calling first, they are unlikely to be able to meet with their lawyer or spend significant time with any other staff member. Of course, we will do our best to accommodate any urgent situation, but it is still important to call first as many “emergencies” can be handled over the phone.
Adequate Resources Resources consist of time and money. In most contingent fee matters, such as personal injury and fatal accident cases, we provide the monetary resources necessary to develop and present the claim.
However, in criminal matters and in some civil matters, our clients provide the monetary resources necessary to develop and present the defense. It is a simple fact that in these kind of cases, a lawyer’s ability to deliver high quality representation is directly related to the client’s willingness and ability to commit the necessary financial resources to the case.
We will charge you a reasonable fee, and we will try to delegate work efficiently in order to control costs. In matters handled for an hourly fee, we will provide timely statements accurately reflecting the work performed and expenses incurred. We will consult with you before we incur large expenses, such as retaining expert witnesses. Whenever possible, we will work with you to develop a practical case budget. We will give you good value for your dollar.
Click here for an explanation of the fees and expenses that we charge and how they are computed. We will meet with you at your request to discuss our services and fees. If you are dissatisfied with our services, or if you feel we have failed to meet any of our commitments, we ask you to call to discuss the matter. We will try very hard to honestly and fairly address your concerns.
By the same token, we expect you to honor your agreement to pay fees and expenses as you have agreed, in a timely manner. We expect you to commit your resources of time, money and energy to your defense just as we will commit our knowledge, skill, effort and reputation. After all, it is your case.
Our Promise No lawyer can promise victory, nor should he. And while we cannot promise victory, we can promise to work hard and do all that can reasonably and ethically be done on your behalf. That is the only promise we have ever made to any client. But, it is a promise we can keep, and it is our promise to you.
