Clients Bill of Rights - Stotis & Baird

Clients Bill of Rights by Mike Baird

1. You have the right to be fully informed about the status of your case. Lawsuits can take a long time, often several years, to go through the courts. There may be long periods where it doesn’t seem like anything is happening. As a client of our firm, you will be told of any significant developments as they occur. However, if you have not heard from us in awhile, and are curious about the progress of your case, you should feel free to call us.

2. Your phone calls will be promptly returned. If you call us during regular business hours, and the attorney handling your case is available to take your call, he or she will do so. Sometimes your lawyer will be in court, at a deposition, or in a meeting with another client. In that case, someone else will try to help you. If no one but your lawyer can answer your question, a message will be taken and will be returned as soon as possible.

3. We will do everything possible to resolve your case as soon as we can, without compromising the result. A quick resolution of your case is not always in your best interest. If you have been injured, your case should not settle until the full extent of your injuries is known. You don’t want to find out after you settle that you still need significant medical treatment. Further, your adversary knows that court cases can take years. If they have a choice of paying you now or paying you in several years, most would choose to pay in several years. The only reason they will pay before they have to is if they can settle by paying less than they owe. We don’t want you to settle for less than you deserve just to get it over with.

4. Your best interest will be the only standard. In handling your case, we will not only put your interest first, we will only consider your interest. When we agree to take the case, we commit ourselves to do whatever is necessary to bring about the best possible result for you. Sometimes, a particular case may require more legal work than was expected, and the possible legal fees may not be in keeping with the effort required. Nonetheless, we pledge to do whatever is needed for your case.

5. We will attempt to help you with any legal questions that you have. From time to time, you may have additional legal problems or questions that have nothing to do with the case we are handling. Your attorney will be happy to try to help answer your questions, even if they involve an area of law that differs from the normal scope of our practice. If we can’t help, we will always give you the name of an attorney who specializes in the area of your inquiry.

6. We will make room for your family and friends. Our law firm has an exclusive practice. Because our services are in demand, we do not always take on new clients. If we take your case, it means that we feel strongly about you and your claim. Once you become one of our clients, we will give special consideration to the needs of your family and friends, should they need representation.

7. Our support staff will be a courteous, important part of your team. Often, your first line of communication will be with one of our paralegals, administrative assistants, or secretaries. Each has received extensive training and has an important part to play in the handling of your case. We pledge that the support staff will be friendly and professional in all of their dealings with you.

8. We will do everything we can to reduce the stress. Lawsuits can cause many people to become tense and anxious. Often, this anxiety can come from not knowing what the process will be like and what will be expected from the client. We help reduce that anxiety by helping you understand what is expected, and by giving you our best prediction of what will be in store.

9. We won’t take up any more of your time than is needed. Although the process itself can take a lot of time, it does not mean that you will have do very much. Although the typical case may take a few years to resolve, it will rarely be necessary for you to spend your time working on the case. Most of the work will be done by us. We will need to speak to you on the phone from time to time, and you will probably spend an afternoon with us if your deposition is taken. However, the amount of time you will likely spend will probably be less than ten hours, spread over the length of time that the case is active. The handling of your case will cause no serious disruption to your schedule.

10. Your case will go to trial, or settle, only if you say so. All cases in court are moving toward a trial date. Most cases settle, or are otherwise resolved without a trial. Sometimes, the parties just can’t agree on a resolution, and, in those cases, a trial decides the outcome. Our goal is to get the best possible result for you. Sometimes, our opponent is unwilling to resolve the case in the way we think they should. We will advise you as to what we think you should do. However, you don’t have to follow our advice. The decision is up to you, and we will respect your decision.