A company is often susceptible to lawsuits and other legal issues in the course of doing business. A business lawyer may be on retainer to deal with day-to-day legal matters, but when issues arise, you want the best business litigation lawyers you can find. To know your case is in good hands, you need to remember these five points.
1. Look for Trial Experience
Not all lawyers spend a lot of time in litigation. Some of them are focused on writing contracts or other legal tasks that don’t require the need for an appearance in court. You want someone with a proven track record of successful litigation experience.
Even if you hope to resolve the issue in negotiations, you want to know you have the best attorney for the worst-case scenario. Before you select from among the best business litigation lawyers, check their track records for experience in the courtroom.
2. Negotiation Skills
A trial is an expense no business wants to deal with. Taking your case to court can also give a company negative publicity, regardless of the outcome. A skilled attorney will be able to negotiate effectively in the majority of situations to avoid further litigation.
To know if the lawyer you choose is effective at negotiation, find out how many cases have been resolved before making it to court. An attorney with extensive negotiation skills is the one you want on your team.
3. Credentials
Just as you wouldn’t expect to hire an employee without checking their educational background and qualifications, you don’t want to hire business litigation lawyers without knowing their credentials. Find out if they belong to specialized bar associations, or are members of the local chamber of commerce or other organizations.
When hiring an attorney, you don’t just want someone with the right education. You need to find someone who keeps up with changes as they occur and is involved in their industry.
4. Good People Skills
A business litigation attorney must know how to read and interact with people. They will need to be effective negotiators to avoid litigation, which means they must be personable and persuasive. It’s not just about presenting the right deal, but being able to sell it to the other party to avoid going to court.
At the same time, an experienced attorney will be able to read people and know how to handle them in the courtroom. They will know how to present themselves and their clients to the judges and the other parties involved.
5. Attention to Details
A skilled attorney in any area of practice must be able to pay attention to the tiniest details of a case. This is even more essential for business litigation lawyers who must review long, complex contracts and other documents to form a case.
You want someone who can look at the case from various angles and create a game plan. They can dissect a case to find the points of weakness. Their ability to focus on the details will help ensure you don’t get caught up in a mistake by the other party, but can take advantage of their errors. An astute attorney will see the big picture without overlooking the details.
When hiring the best business litigation lawyers, you want someone that exhibits these five abilities. Not every attorney will excel in all areas, which is how you will separate those who are good at their jobs from those who are the best.
Sources:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225395
http://www.badgerlawyer.com/blog/?p=97