Lawyers That Know The Law

by Kristen White Blogger

General Positive Qualities Your Attorney Should Have

The best Lawyers should only be selected after a thorough vetting process. Some qualities to look for in an attorney include the following.
First, an attorney should have a positive reputation. In the modern internet and phone app era, resources such as Avvo, Google, Yelp and others are a decent place to find comments about any attorney you may be considering to employ. Other locations such as state bar websites and certain peer review sites can also provide insight.
Second, your attorney should be decisive and communicate clearly. It should not take long for an attorney to formulate a plan or at least explain to you what other information is needed to create the plan. One who is not adept at “thinking on her feet” is not likely to be successful at trial.

Little frustrates judges, court and other attorneys more than lateness. It is, in short, disrespectful and is likely to be met with reciprocal disrespect, something that will filter down to harm the client. As such, your attorney must be on time—or at least offer a good reason for not being so—or he should not be retained.

Fourth, your attorney will be presenting your case, at different points, to the other parties, adversarial attorneys, witnesses, experts, judges and juries. As such, personality is vitally important. If your attorney’s personality bothers you, it will probably annoy others, too, making her the wrong choice to advocate on your behalf.

Fifth, appearance matters. And your attorney looking neat and clean is not just a superficial thing. Indeed, an attorney with stained, wrinkled clothes likely does not care about appearance. How papers appear and how arguments are presented are likely to be treated the same as the attorney’s interest in dressing. As such, a messily-addressed attorney is not someone you should retain.

Keeping Up With The Law

Alaska Bar Rule 65 governs what education requirements a practicing attorney must maintain. Alaska Bar Rule 66 describes the penalties for non-compliance.

Attorneys must keep up with Personal Injury Case Law.

Alaska Bar Rule 65 requires attorneys to have at least three hours of mandatory continuing legal education per year, including ethics learning. In addition, attorneys are strongly encouraged to sit for an additional nine hours of voluntary continuing legal education.
This total of twelve hours is important not only because the law requires it, but also because an attorney unaware of new laws and case decisions is likely to risk torpedoing a client’s chances at recovery for an otherwise successful claim.
One who fails to comply with the mandatory requirements listed above is subject to suspension from the Alaska Bar and, likely, will not be reinstated until such time as the learning is made up.

Indeed, attorneys must be aware of the fact that, since recent tort reform and the passage and greater enforcement of ethical rules, personal injury attorneys are required to act more properly by (i) better protecting clients’ rights, (ii) providing sound legal advice, including the contemplation of—and dealing with—negatives issues surrounding the case, (iii) helping in the investigation and sometimes fronting money for quality investigators, (iv) using contingency fee arrangements, so that the lawyer only earns money if the case is won or resolved through settlement, and (v) having trial experience in the rare case the case does not settle.

The Best Lawyers In Anchorage have a lot to know if they are to prosecute a claim arising out of a client’s personal injuries. An attorney that has not kept current with personal injury case law, something that can usually be checked on a state bar website, is not likely to know everything that needs to be known and, as such, puts you behind the eight ball from the outset. Make sure your attorney has done her homework before you decide to move forward with her.