1. Who will be your trial attorney and go with you to Court?
When you hire an attorney, particularly from a large law firm, make sure you know whether that attorney will do the work on your case and be your trial attorney and go with you to Court. Many times once you hire an attorney to handle your case, he or she will farm out the work on your file to other less experienced lawyers and/or paralegals, often times under the guise of cost savings. However, even though those individuals may bill at a cheaper rate it may take them twice as long as the lawyer you thought you hired to do the work. You may rarely communicate with the lawyer you hired during the work up of your case. And your case may be used as a vehicle to train junior associate lawyers.
When you hire Garber Law, you get Cheryl Garber, no-one else, to not only try your case but to work it up along the way.
The problem with delegating working up a case to junior associates is that they may lack the experience and strategic advantage of a more seasoned trial lawyer, such as Cheryl. No doubt, you try a better case if you plan the strategy and work it up yourself. For example, you will have taken the depositions of the parties and witnesses and be familiar with them prior to trial, as opposed to being armed with only an outline or deposition summaries from a junior associate.
2. How many trials has the attorney actually handled?
The reality is that many cases settle, many attorneys are wary of going to court, and there are reasons why “trial attorneys” may actually have little or virtually no, trial experience. Ask. And be specific. Attorneys have to cut their teeth somewhere, but do you really want your case to be such training ground; and often times at a premium price. I suggest, not without knowing that is the case.
Cheryl has handled numerous jury and bench trials. Ask her how many.
3. What is the trial attorney’s record?
Wins, losses. Specifically. If an attorney hasn’t lost a case, he/she hasn’t tried enough cases.
Cheryl’s track record of success is proven, and she is happy to share it with you.