Why You Need to Be Comfortable With Your Lawyer

Although many people try to solve their legal problems through simple methods like mediation, you may have no other way to settle yours than by taking it to the courthouse.

Litigation is often a lengthy and arduous process, which is why many people hire an attorney to walk them through it. Unless you have vast knowledge about the law, you’d better leave your case to a professional. However, being uncomfortable around your lawyer can prolong the process.

You may think that personal feelings have nothing to do with your case, but being comfortable with your attorney is extremely important. If you are still skeptical about this, check out the following points.

Showing vulnerability

Let’s be real; most people do not want to be seen as weak or vulnerable. Nonetheless, litigation is an emotionally draining process, so you need to be comfortable enough to express your emotions in front of your lawyer. Emotions like helplessness and frustration are the main ones most clients show if their case is not going their way. Yet, there is nothing shameful about feeling bad that the other team is giving you a hard time.

For this reason, you need to choose a lawyer you are comfortable with. Because as much as you want to appear calm and collected, your lawyer will probably witness you getting angry or downright frustrated quite often, especially if your case is deeply personal. So, make sure to express yourself in front of your lawyer without any fear of judgment.

If you find that you are tiptoeing around your lawyer and putting on a façade, then it is probably time to find another one. This applies to personal injury cases, in particular. Generally, personal injury cases involve lawyers visiting their clients in the hospital or at home to ask for important documents and keep them updated. Since this means your lawyer will probably see you bedridden, hiring someone you trust allows you to effectively communicate, even if you are feeling embarrassed about your physical state.

Sharing personal details

Honesty is definitely the best policy when it comes to legal matters. Hiding things from your lawyer can end up negatively impacting your chances of winning the case.

Since you need to be completely open with your lawyer, you may need to share some personal information. The seasoned Sun City lawyers at Phoenix Law Team point out that this particularly applies to custody and divorce cases. You may not want to share a lot of information about your ex-spouse or your marital life in general, but doing so can greatly improve your chances in court. This is especially the case if you are dealing with a stressful divorce that involves many complex aspects like joint assets, debts, and kids.

Thus, choosing an attorney, you can comfortably share sensitive information with is crucial if you want your case to be settled quickly.

Asking for explanations

There is a misconception that lawyers do not share enough information with their clients. But what would they gain from this? Absolutely nothing. If this happens to you, then it may be a sign that you and your lawyer are not comfortable working together.

It is a two-way street, so do not expect your lawyer to encumber you with difficult-to-understand legal terms if you do not ask enough questions. As you can deduce, being comfortable with your lawyer allows you to ask them for explanations and more detailed advice about the next steps you should take without worrying about seeming uninformed.

Building rapport

Difficult cases require effective communication, meaning that your lawyer has to be able to directly contact you. Not having direct communication with one’s lawyer can be detrimental to their case, which is a scenario that is often seen when clients are not comfortable with their attorneys.

If you do not exactly like your attorney, you may avoid their calls or emails, which, of course, translates to more trouble down the line. Remember, understanding how your case is progressing is important, and being comfortable around your attorney is the only effective way of building rapport and avoiding any miscommunication.

Legal matters are extremely sensitive and personal, so you need to find a lawyer whom you can be honest and comfortable around. Opening up about personal matters, sharing sensitive documents, and showing vulnerability are all things you have to come with if you want to win your case. Sticking with a lawyer that you do not feel comfortable around is counterintuitive. So, take your time when choosing an attorney to make sure that you are making the right decision.