Choosing an Employment Law Attorney

Answer:

A question that I got last week from a potential client was, “How do I choose an attorney for my employment law claim?” It was an interesting question because she was calling me, an employment lawyer, and asking what factors she should look at in trying to find the right employment law attorney. We talked for a little bit about the fact that what she should be looking for is somebody that actually specializes in employment law. I told her she should look for a lawyer at a practice where the entire practice is devoted, to some degree and to some aspect, to employment labor law. Especially in California, you want an attorney familiar with an area of the law called the Fair Employment and Housing Act. You need to look for an attorney that really specializes in discrimination or employment law. The next step I think is really important is to look for an attorney that has the resources. Whether you take on a large corporation or a smaller employer, employers don’t just roll over. They do have the resources to fight you, and they will fight you. I think it’s important that you find a firm that’s big enough and has the resources to go toe-to-toe with the employer and with the employer’s counsel that they hire. Next, I think it’s important that you find attorneys that will be able to take your case to trial. At the end of the day, it’s always surprising to me how many people call themselves civil litigators or trial attorneys. Truth be told, they’ve actually never tried a case. It’s important for you to find an attorney that has routinely tried cases. Lastly, I think it’s important for you to find somebody that you trust and that you trust will tell your story and has your best interests in mind. Sometimes your best interest is going all the way; sometimes your best interest is to go to trial. At other times, your best interest might be to find closure before you go to trial, and that might be pursuant to a settlement agreement, in which you have the peace of mind that you feel that you’re able to resolve the case and move forward. That peace of mind has value to you. Really, those are the factors that I think are important for you in finding an attorney. Find an attorney that has all of those aspects or all of those attributes that you can attribute to them. If you have questions as to what you should look for in an attorney or whether or not my firm could be that firm, always feel free to give me a call. I’m happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding your case or whether or not we’re the right attorneys for you. I appreciate your time and I look forward to hopefully talking to you. Thanks.