There is a great deal to consider when hiring the proper construction lawyer. Your time, money, and safety is valuable: you want to ensure the construction lawyer you hire to defend and represent you equally values your money, time, and safety. A construction attorney should be specialized, masterful, thoughtful, considerate, and expertly experienced. There are so many services that a construction lawyer can provide, it can be daunting to even begin seeking one who fulfills your unique needs.
As you begin pursuing and reviewing a potential contract lawyer, there are some vital characteristics that you want to look for. When choosing the right construction lawyer, their skills, attitude, and reactive tendencies should all be assessed to ensure you’re expertly taken care of.
Characteristics of an Elite Construction Attorney:
Prepared
The right construction lawyer will be ready, and willing, to work your case. Construction cases are always finely detailed and filled with ever-moving parts, meaning your unique case is compiled with a wide variety of variables, resulting in an indeterminable number of possible options, issues, and outcomes–your construction lawyer should be prepared for all of them. To be best prepared, the right construction lawyer will fully dedicated their time and effort to knowing the “ins-and-outs” of your case. Your construction lawyer should have an intimate understanding of each fact and facet of your case. For the properly prepared construction lawyer: there are no surprises.
A Problem-Solver
The right construction lawyer has a keen eye for finding solutions. With their adept insights, your construction lawyer will be able to provide superior council and encompassing advice. When seeking your solution, the right construction lawyer will respect your time, money, and resources, working to ensure the issue is resolved as efficiently, and safely, as possible. At no point should your construction lawyer shrug their shoulders in resignation and say “I just don’t know!” Your construction lawyer should always provide you with smart solutions that best fit your needs.
Committed
The right construction lawyer will thoroughly dedicate themselves to your case. They will firmly tackle your case with resolve, fighting for the best possible outcome. When your construction lawyer is committed, they care about your case, every minute detail of it, and they care about you–their steadfast nature will push them to pursue the resolution that best serves your needs. With this kind of dedicated, you are treated as more than a client: you are a friend, whose safety and money and time is paramount. The relationship built between you and the right construction lawyer is one that lasts for years. When your attorney has such an intimate relationship with you and your case, you can truly trust the advice being offered.
An Adept Communicator
Your construction attorney needs to be able to adeptly communicate with you and your employer/employees, as well as any mediator, arbitrator, jury, or judge.Your construction lawyer should be able to translate all the technical traits of your case (including engineering and site-work terminology) in such a way that is easily, and effectively understood by all. The right construction attorney will be able to skillfully convey your needs to all relevant parties, while communicating all the facts of your case with clarity. Great communication is vital to the success of your case, ensuring the best results.
Driven & Proactive
From your first consultation, the right construction lawyer is ready, willing, and able to review your case and offer his/her insights. A driven construction attorney knows the best avenues to pursue for your particular case, and can best anticipate any possible issues. When your construction attorney is proactive, they become more than just resource for advice–a proactive construction attorney becomes part of your business plan, looking at the big-picture and the long-term. A driven attorney protects your well-being, assessing all possible risks and outcomes. With this proactive attitude, your construction lawyer is sure to solve your immediate problems as well as protect you from any future complications and conflicts.
Widely Knowledgeable
The right construction attorney has an wide understanding of the construction industry, construction disputes, all related legalities, and potential outcomes. The right construction attorney has a superior understanding of every intimate detail of your case, from its overall goal to the importance of the brand of nails being used in specific types of drywall. Regardless of the construction issue, your attorney should know it. Your construction attorney should have an unmatched knowledge of your case and extensive experience.
Questions to Ask Your Construction Lawyer
Once you’ve vetted your construction attorney by ensuring he/she fulfills all of the above attributes, there are some more pointed questions you can ask to better understand who they are. The questions you ask your construction lawyer should cover all of your concerns–from money, to experience, asking these questions can make sure there are no surprises later down the line. Having your potential construction attorney answer the following questions help you make an informed decision when it comes to determining your defence and representation.
How long have you practiced construction law?
You will want to be aware of your attorney’s experience and status. Is your attorney a veteran, or a beginner? How long have they been with their present firm? How many years have they spent working in construction law specifically? Depending on the complications of your case, you may want someone with a lot of experience representing you. You want to make sure the attorney you hire is equipped to handle your case.
How are you specifically qualified to handle my case?
Does your attorney have experience handling cases similar to yours? Are they familiar with the languages and nuances of your situation? Your construction lawyer should be Board Certified in the area of practice that your case is involved in. Your construction lawyer may also have some kind of special training or experience in a relevant topic, or he/she may have previously been published on this subject. Knowing what your construction lawyer’s specialized experience and/or training can help determine an ideal match.
What kinds of cases do you usually handle?
Does your construction lawyer usually work with cases similar to yours? Does he/she usually work with clients like you? If your attorney works with clients similar to you, and cases similar to yours, then you can trust their experience to provide you with effective representation. However, if your attorney has worked mostly with corporations or big-ticket clients, he/she may be out of touch with your needs, putting you at risk of being labeled as a low-priority and being charged an over-priced service.
Who will actually handle my case?
You want to make sure the attorney you’re meeting with is the actual attorney who will be defending/representing you. If the construction lawyer who is to handle your case is actually a partner or associate you will want to know ahead of time to you can meet with them individually and make sure their services, attitude, and experience, match your needs.
How do you anticipate handling my construction project?
After your construction lawyer meets you and views your project, what are his/her initial thoughts? What does he/she think your best options are? What will be the course of action. Again, you want to make sure your construction lawyer is dedicated, driven, and proactive. You want to make sure he/she is a problem solver, providing you with the best services that will yield the best outcomes.
Are your fees negotiable?
Do not be intimidated out of negotiating fees. You want to make sure the fees are reasonable and negotiable. Legal bills can be extensively detailed and complicated, hard for a layman to understand. Be sure to ask questions if you have any–the right construction attorney will understand, and respect, your concerns.
What costs will I incur?
Costs are separate from fees, and can usually include paying for several services and tasks required for the legal process, such as: expert witnesses, copies, scan, transcripts, and court reporters. Be sure that you understand exactly what you will be charged for and how much each charge will be. The right construction attorney will work to ensure transparency of costs.
How will we communicate?
Will you frequently hear from your construction lawyer? Will they reach out to you, or will you have to pursue them? How will you manage important dates and times, as well as maintain important updates? Will you need to keep copies of the records you send? Again, effective communication is vital to the success of your case. Your attorney’s willingness to effectively communicate can also illustrate their level of commitment and care.
Do you have malpractice insurance?
It is critical that you know whether or not your construction attorney offers malpractice insurance. Should anything go wrong with the case, you’ll want to know beforehand who is financially responsible for the fallout. If your construction attorney misrepresents you, and you do not have insurance, you may not be reimbursed the fees.
Will you represent/defend me well?
Again, your relationship with your attorney is critical to the success of your case and your futures together. It is paramount that you share mutual respect and understanding. The right construction lawyer will develop this intimate relationship with you, and will always work hard to represent/defend you to the best of his/her ability.
