Getting the best from your solicitor

Whatever the reason, dealing with lawyers can be daunting. So here are some pointers to help you get the most out of your legal adviser:

Prepare – think about what you want to get out of the meeting. Check if there is anything you need to do beforehand or which you should bring with you. If you have questions or worries, write a list and take it with you.

Get moral support – if your legal business is difficult or upsetting (like dealing with the estate of someone who has died), don’t forget you can take a friend or relative with you. Your affairs are completely confidential and your Solicitor cannot talk to anyone else on the telephone unless you authorise it. 

Ask questions - if you don’t understand something, ask; if you don’t understand the explanation, ask again. Lawyers use technical legal language so much that they may have forgotten that it is jargon. 

Be specific - your Solicitor won’t tell you what is “generally” the rule. Law is all about detail and your specific circumstances make all the difference. So if you ask for “some general information about a contract”, the answer you get may be frustrating. 

Tell them what you like – the more you do this the better they can help. If you would rather be contacted by email or by telephone, or only during working hours, say so. Tell them the whole of the story – if your problem is complicated, it is tempting to ask the Solicitor about the “hard” bits and leave out the bits you can deal with yourself. This is false economy. One part of the story can affect the other part in ways you might not expect. 

Don’t be put under pressure – some pressure can’t be helped, for example, a claim form which needs a response within a time limit. Help your Solicitor plan by letting them know what your time constraints are. They should tell you how long your matter will take and about any deadlines. Try not to make decisions when a deadline is looming.

Decide what to do next – you might not want to do what your Solicitor suggests. This is fine, but it is always worth asking what might happen if you do something differently. Don’t forget that you are talking to a specialist who has seen people in your situation many times before.