The First Consultation With Your Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer

The First Consultation With Your Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer Be Prepared to Ask and to Answer a Lot of Questions

By H. Michael Steinberg Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer

Justice Statue The First Consultation With Your Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer. Before your first meeting with a lawyer you are interviewing, take the time to prepare some specific questions to ask. Even before you make an appointment, ask the attorney what he or she will charge for the consultation. Some lawyers offer a free first meeting. Others may charge a reduced fee for the first meeting, while still others charge at their usual hourly rate. Ask the attorney what materials you should bring to your first meeting, such as copies of contracts, letters, or a summons you received.

The Steinberg Law Firm does NOT charge a fee for the first consultation – the phone consultation is as immediate and as comprehensive as possible.

When you arrive at the lawyer’s office for your first consultation, take a few minutes to size up the way the office looks and the attitude of the lawyer’s support staff.

Is the office neat or does it appear disorganized?

Does the receptionist greet you pleasantly and courteously, or is the greeting surly or disinterested?

Do the staff members dress professionally?

While some law offices are plush, with oriental carpets and marble counters, others are much less grand. Keep in mind that the lawyers at either kind of office may be equally competent – but you can also tell a lot about the practice from this first examination.

When you finally sit down to talk with the lawyer, give the lawyer a brief description of the nature of your problem. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to sound like Perry Mason, using legal jargon you may have picked up from television and books; the lawyer’s unlikely to be impressed. Just tell your story in plain English.

Never Withhold Any Information From Your Lawyer

Answer any questions the lawyer asks as honestly as you can, and don’t try to hide information that you think puts you in an unflattering light or weakens your case. If your lawyer is going to help you, the lawyer has to know the whole story; few things make a lawyer more angry than to have a client withhold information that’s pertinent to the problem.

The Importance of Confidentiality – The Attorney – Client Privilege

You don’t have to worry about the lawyer revealing what you say. Unless you are talking about a crime you intend to commit, your statements are considered “privileged,” which means they can’t be disclosed by the lawyer without your permission, even if you decide not to hire the lawyer. However, if you take another person into the office with you, this privilege will not apply, since by discussing your problem in the presence of another person you have already treated it as being less than confidential between you and the attorney.

You should leave your mother, your child, or any friends who accompanied you to the lawyer’s office in the waiting room. If the lawyer needs to talk to any of these people, the lawyer will let you know. On the other hand, If you bring them into the meeting, and are willing to waive the rule of confidentiality, while you may give up confidentiality you may have other good reasons to insist that they be present. It is your decision and only your decision.

Has the Criminal Lawyer Handled Your Kind of Case In The Past? – How Many Cases and Over How Many Years?

After you outline your problem to the lawyer, ask how the lawyer handled similar cases in the past. Ask how many cases the lawyer has settled, as well as how many cases the lawyer has taken to trial.

Ask about the strategy the lawyer will follow if you hire him or her to represent you. You may not want to hire a lawyer whose chief strategy is to be as confrontational and unpleasant as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if the lawyer uses terms you don’t understand. A good lawyer will take the time to explain things patiently and clearly.

One important area that needs to be discussed is that of client communications. Some lawyers will provide their clients with virtually every piece of correspondence in regard to a particular matter. Other lawyers communicate verbally with their clients only when necessary and do not barrage them with every piece of paper and minute detail in the case. Still others minimally with their clients. Getting some of these last lawyers to do something as simple as returning a phone call can be torturous.

The First Consultation With Your Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer

To be completely informed about the progress of your case, be certain to tell the lawyer you are interviewing about your desire for ongoing communication. If the lawyer seems reluctant to comply, or tries to tell you “that’s just not the way we do things,” you may want to consider looking elsewhere for a lawyer who is more willing to meet your expectations.

Remember that the lawyer you hire works for you; you would be surprised how many lawyers seem to have forgotten this basic principle.

That doesn’t mean your lawyer won’t have other clients, and there may be times when for one reason or another (such as when the lawyer is in court or attending a settlement conference), he or she won’t be immediately available to answer a phone call or explain the latest motion filed by your opponent. But it does mean that you should be able to expect a courteous and patient answer to your questions as soon as possible, and you should have telephone calls returned promptly.

The First Consultation With Your Colorado Criminal Defense Lawyer should be productive and reassuring.. good luck. H Michael.

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"Mr. Steinberg provided my family with expert handling of my son's case. He took extra time understand the case, to consult with us during the pretrial proceedings, and to support him for a plea agreement. Mr. Steinberg is very knowledge about the law and very professional. He guided us in achieving the best possible outcome for my son. If I am ever in need of law services again, I will certainly have Mr. Steinberg handle my case. l also highly recommend his services to anyone that might be in need of an excellent defense attorney!" Tanya Witt
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"I found myself in criminal trouble, that I wasn't guilty of and thanks to Mr. Steinberg's dedication and hard work, right before we we're looking at having to continue on to trial level Mr. Steinberg was able to use his vast knowledge of the law and his many respected years in the system to find a way to show my innocence. After a very unsure and somewhat difficult time for me, this very skilled and knowledgeable attorney was able to find the right path to take to reach a dismissal in my case. For that I can't tell you how much I appreciate his representation and his excellent understanding and helpful personality. He's a great man and an even better attorney but don't misunderstand him, he is an attorney not a therapist. Thanks H." Josh
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"Working with Michael Steinberg was a wonderful experience. Truly people need to know that he is a expert in what he does. His personality is compassionate, intellectual, and down to earth. I glean that Michael is fun to be around. In the time I worked with him, it was a pleasure to be around him. As for my case, the outcome was amazing and couldn’t be better. He has made my life more manageable because of the outcome of my case. I’ve worked with other lawyers in the Denver area. He is superior to them all. If you’re in need of a lawyer and you come across Mr. Steinberg look no further he’s going to be the one you need. Thank you again Michael." Renee Taylor
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Mr. Steinberg, It has been an honor working with you. I very much appreciated your style, demeanor, patience, and determination. I was well instructed in every step of the court process, and I felt that I received excellent guidance and timely information regarding my case. You have been extremely thoughtful with your time, and I was very impressed with your sensitivity in responding to my requests. Thank you. Anonymous