Choosing an employment law attorney to help you file a claim against an employer is a big decision. You should always meet with a few attorneys and ask them questions to help determine their expertise and whether or not your personalities are a good fit before hiring an attorney.
Since you will be working closely with your employment law lawyer on your claim it’s important that you find an attorney who you feel comfortable with and trust.
A smart thing to do when looking for an employment lawyer is to make a list of questions that will help you make an informed decision. Some of the questions you should ask any employment lawyer that you are considering working with include:
Have You Handled This Kind of Case?
It’s very important to find an experienced employment lawyer that has worked on cases similar to yours in the past. Because employment attorneys handle many different kinds of cases chances are that any employment attorney you talk to will have handled a discrimination, wage theft, or other case like yours before.
When you talk to an attorney one-on-one you can describe your case in detail so that the attorney knows the complexities of your unique case.
What Results Are Most Likely For My Situation?
One of the reasons why you should talk to an employment lawyer about your case is because there are many different types of remedies available for employment discrimination and harassment cases.
Only an experienced employment lawyer can tell you what the most likely outcomes for your unique case are. Getting expert advice on both the best possible outcome and the worst possible outcome for your individual case will help you have realistic expectations about what could happen.
How Will I Be Charged?
You don’t want to have any surprises when it comes to billing or payments so you should ask any potential attorney that you’re talking to how they bill their clients.
Some employment lawyers work on a contingency basis so they don’t get paid unless they recover some type of damages for you.
Others have an hourly fee that is charged for any work that they do on your behalf. And some charge a flat fee depending on the nature of the work. Make sure you understand how that attorney bills clients and when payment is expected so that you’re not hit with a big bill later on.
What Is Your Preferred Method of Communication?
Being able to communicate clearly and often with your employment attorney is essential. It’s a good thing to ask up front so that you’ll have a clear expectation of the level of communication you can expect from the attorney.
Ask if they are more comfortable communicating by text, email, phone, or a combination of all of those. You and your employment attorney will need to communicate often and openly so it’s essential to open the lines of communication from the start.
You should also ask who will be the primary contact that you’ll be dealing with, and what the procedure will be if you have questions or concerns.
How Do You Think My Case Will Turn Out?
Asking for an honest opinion about the merits of your claim or case does two things. It will give you an expert’s view of your unique situation and let you know if your claim is a valid one and if it’s worth pursuing.
And it will also give you insight into whether or not the employment lawyer is one that you can trust. A good employment lawyer will point out the strengths and weaknesses of your claim and give you an honest assessment of your chances.
If the attorney oversells their abilities or promises that you will absolutely win a claim against your employer you will know that you should keep looking for an attorney. A trustworthy attorney will tell you the facts, not just what you want to hear.
Possible remedies for an employment discrimination or harassments include getting rehired if you were wrongfully terminated, getting back pay or lost wages, or being paid compensation for both benefits and pay if you were a victim of wage theft, harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.
Get a Free Case Evaluation
To get connected with an employment law attorney who can take a case in your area fill out our easy Free Case Evaluation form.
