What Every Good Lawyer Wants You to Know

Most good lawyers firmly believe in preparing their clients at the beginning of any representation for the difficulties inherent in legal processes. Nonetheless, it so very often happens that events occur during a case which cause difficulties. Perhaps they arise from the inherent limits of the system itself; perhaps they arise from the methods and strategies the lawyer employs in pursuing the client's interests; perhaps they arise from the client's own attitudes toward their own case or the opposing party.

If the client is not at least "primed" to know that difficulties and frustrations frequently occur, or that there are time, cost and strategic considerations to every step in the process, the client may immediately feel that his or her lawyer is not diligently pursuing the case or is not "tough enough." If the client is already feeling that way before hearing the lawyer's explanation of the particular situation, such explanations may sound more like "excuses," needlessly undermining the lawyer-client relationship.

A lawyer cannot cover with every client every potential aspect of a client's matter at the beginning of the case. This book serves as a primer and should be required reading before a lay person seeks the assistance of an attorney to address legal issues. By being better prepared for the experience of going through the legal process, you, the client will be in a position to better "hear" what your lawyer explains to you along the way; you will be in a position to stress less over the inevitable frustrations; and, you will be in a position to assist your lawyer more in pursuing and protecting your cause, and thus save costs.