Lawyer or Headache?

The overwhelming majority of us are law-abiding citizens, but even so, at some point in our lives, we will need a lawyer. Whether it’s a divorce, a speeding ticket, buying or selling a house or making a will, lawyers seem to be a requirement during good times and bad times alike. In this litigious society of ours, people joke about lawyers being a necessary evil which most people have to put up with. Lawyer jokes have made many a golfer laugh.

But as my grandma used to say “todos llaman a Santa Barbara cuando truena” (everyone calls on St. Barbara when it thunders). When we have a need, we really need them. It’s not funny then. In those cases, lawyers can indeed help us avoid being stricken by lightning. In our desperation, we tend to put good judgment aside and rush to the first name a friend at a cocktail party gives us. Everything we have been trained to do as a red-blooded American consumer is tossed out the window (make sure you get quality, a good price, etc.)

Selecting a counselor should not be a headache. Neither should being represented by one. In over two decades of practice, I have seen, like anything else, good and bad. I want you always to remember that a lawyer serves you. You don’t serve the lawyer; you are not doing him or her favor. You are the client, and you deserve to be treated with respect, be billed fairly and honestly, and have your phone calls and emails responded to in a timely manner. In the Latino culture, we see lawyers as demi-gods whose wisdom seems to come from above. In Latin America, we even give them titles before we even dare mention their names: “Doctor” “Licenciado”. And of course, the titles carry so much reverence that it’s normal for them to think they are deities. Many believe they are!


But here in America, we are the client, and we pay for the service, so we are the ones who should be given the title “Señor o Señora cliente.” All kidding aside, before choosing a lawyer, do your research. Get some names from the local bar association, the lawyer organization that serves the public. Depending on the case, ask people who work with lawyers every day. A divorce? Step into the clerk’s office at the courthouse: those clerks know a great deal. Even in municipal court, ask people around. Spend some time watching—most courtrooms are open to the public. Research their names on the internet; find out if they have had adversaries and call those adversaries for a reference. Avoid the yellow pages like a plague. Find out the names and telephone numbers of retired judges (from the bar association) and call them—they won’t bite. Many of them know where those legal jewels are because they saw them in action. You will be surprised how much knowledge you can gather. It’s worth it, believe me. The price for not being careful could mean no one responding to your calls, receiving a large bill and not properly representing you, all of it coupled with arrogant, condescending treatment. Fortunately, there are many conscientious, responsible, competent, respectful, ethical and responsive lawyers out there. You just have to find them.

Once you hire a good lawyer, listen to the advice and weigh it; compare it to your own. Don’t do what Cesar Milan’s (‘the Dog Whisperer’) patients do: roll over. Don’t get mad at the lawyer for giving you advice. As I know from grandma, advice is like medicine—you don’t like how it tastes, but you have to swallow it for your own good. But that is exactly the point: you want someone to counsel you, give you honest advice, guide you through shark infested waters (sorry I could not resist the “shark” pun) and take you to the best arriving destination. The point is you are paying to get that very service. So be demanding in a reasonable way; expect the best service and value, consider and think about the advice you are paying for; don’t hesitate to fire the lawyer who is not serving you—your gut will tell you.

It’s all about service, and unlike those good looking Armani suits boys and girls in the legal TV shows, in the real world, you are the one who needs to look good, not them.