5 Myths About Hiring a Lawyer That Can Harm A Person's Legal Process

Hiring a lawyer is a difficult process. Finding the right lawyer for you might be one of the most difficult things you ever have to do in your life, and even after you find one, it can be difficult to know what parts of your case your lawyer should or shouldn't be taking on. Regardless of why you might be hiring a lawyer, you need to take the time to think your decision through and make sure that the lawyer you're going to be working with is professional, skillful, and knowledgeable about the area of law you're hiring them to assist you with. There are things you can do to make this process easier on yourself, as well as save yourself some time upfront and a headache in the future. These 5 of the myths that get passed around about hiring lawyers, and the reasons you shouldn't believe them.

1 - The Best Lawyer is Always the Busiest One

Do you find yourself spending more time trying to get in contact with your lawyer than actually talking to them? While some people might consider the rate of a lawyer's business a defining marker of their skill, a busy lawyer will have much less time for you specifically. Instead of trying to find the lawyer with the most clients, consider looking for someone who actually returns your calls in a timely manner. Find out how your prospective lawyer prefers to communicate. If you're expecting a phone call, and they only use email, that's something you'll want to work out beforehand.

2 - The First Consultation is Always Free

While this might be true, depending on the law firm you're working with, or particular lawyer you're talking to, it's not always the case. Find out ahead of time what your lawyer will expect out of the first meeting. Do you need to bring any documents? Do they want an outline or a plan of what you have in mind, or what you're expecting from them? How much will they be charging for that first consultation? Instead of letting yourself assume you know what you'll need to bring and do, reach out and make it a sure thing. The last thing you want is to end up with a fee from a session you assumed was free, or to realize that this isn't the lawyer for you after you've already started a tab.

3 - Your Lawyer Will be Making All of the Decisions for You

Every major decision in a legal matter is, and always will be, yours. It's a good idea to listen to your lawyer's advice before making any decisions, of course, but if your prospective lawyer is trying to push you into making decisions you're not sure about, it's a good time to reconsider working with them. A lawyer's job is to advise you on your case, and what they believe would be the best course of action, based on precedents and your specific situation. While courtroom dramas may show the lawyers in control, the final decision should always be yours. If it's not, find a new lawyer, fast.

4 - Good Lawyers Will do Whatever it Takes to Get the Job Done

This myth is very much a gray area. A good lawyer will do whatever it takes within the rules and restrictions of the law to get the job done. The last thing you want is a lawyer who's willing to break the rules, or doesn't seem to care about them at all. Having a lawyer who knows how to work within and around the rules is a safer bet than having one willing to break the rules to get what they want, and is also much less likely to get you in trouble with the court if something goes wrong. An aggressive lawyer can be a good thing, but aggressiveness that's not directed towards a clear goal can end up leading you down the wrong path.

5 - If a Lawyer is Good Enough, Their Field of Expertise Doesn't Matter

This is definitely another TV drama cliché. No matter how good a lawyer is, different types of cases will have different rules and intricacies of law that a lawyer with more experience in the field might be better able to play into. Even if your lawyer has argued before the Supreme Court, it's unlikely that they'll know any more about getting you out of a civil suit than the local lawyer who's handled fifty cases similar to yours.