Law Office of David J. Abeshouse

Businesspeople often express concern about how to go about the process of choosing their business lawyer, so here are some suggested factors to consider. The significance of the answers to any of these questions may vary from client to client, but these relevant areas of inquiry are offered as a starting point for discussion. So, what questions should you ask a business lawyer when considering whether to engage that person’s or firm’s services?

• Is the lawyer accessible to you by phone, e-mail, cell/mobile, fax, mail, and in person? Is the lawyer appropriately responsive to your communications?  Does the lawyer encourage open communications between attorney and client? 
• Does the lawyer have real life experience in law and business, in addition to the requisite collegiate and law school academic credentials?  Has the lawyer run at least one small business in addition to the law practice?
• Is the lawyer energetic and actively engaged in the practice, fully allied in and personally committed to the client’s success?
• Are the lawyer’s fees reasonable (not necessarily the lowest or the highest) for the particular matter and the geographic location?
• Is the lawyer someone who is sufficiently tenacious and persistent to work your matter through conclusion, yet sufficiently forthcoming and aware to advise you if it makes sense to consider earlier resolution?
• Does the lawyer have a reputation for integrity and maintaining high ethical standards?
• Does the lawyer have experience in the particular area of practice into which your matter falls, or are you at risk of hiring a psychiatrist to do brain surgery or a carpenter to do plumbing work?
• Will the lawyer be personally involved throughout your matter, or will the lawyer pawn off your case to inexperienced junior lawyers?
• Is the lawyer well-respected, with a top reputation among peers in general and as reflected in reputable industry standard professional ratings, such as an "AV" (highest) rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, for legal ability as well as ethics?  (Note: "CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.")
• Is the lawyer active in the community, running or serving in executive or board capacities in not-for-profit entities, local or regional bar associations, and similar activities?
• Does the lawyer have a broad, deep, and high-quality network of business and legal professionals available to clients to serve as resources if the need arises?
• Does the lawyer make public speaking presentations to business or community groups and/or teaching other lawyers in Continuing Legal Education credit programs?
• Does the lawyer write and publish articles in print and/or online?

You also might consider whether the lawyer:

• LISTENS attentively, affording you the opportunity to "tell your story" appropriately.
• Explains matters at an appropriate level of technicality so that you can understand things fully, and doesn’t oversimplify, patronize, or condescend.
• Understands that the attorney-client relationship is essentially a business partnership, in which attorney and client should be allied and mutually cooperative.
• Seems to be someone you would get along with, because you will have to be communicating with each other during the course of the representation.

So decide:
Is this the person you’d want to call "my lawyer"?

Please note: The information on this website has been prepared by the Law Office of David J. Abeshouse (LODJA) and is provided to inform the reader about the services LODJA offers to clients. It is intended for general information purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. Links to websites are for your convenience only and do not represent endorsement of those sites; LODJA also is not responsible for the accuracy or propriety of the content of those sites. Although LODJA welcomes your e-mail communications, internet messages may not be secure, and cannot be treated as privileged or confidential information. Use of this web site does not constitute or create an attorney-client relationship. If you require legal advice, please consult with a competent attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. David Abeshouse is licensed only in New York.

Law Office of David J. Abeshouse
50 Charles Lindbergh Blvd.
Suite 400
Uniondale, New York  11553
516-229-2360 (Phone)
516-229-2361 (Fax)

David J. Abeshouse:  
Business Litigator, Arbitrator, Mediator, Communicator