Welcome back to our segment of “The Good Lawyer.” One resolution everyone should be making for 2019 is to not settle for less than what you deserve – and since we are a law firm, of course we mean in terms of your legal services!
We’ve already discussed the importance of communication, resourcefulness, and responsiveness in a lawyer but let’s turn our attention this week to… JUDGMENT! When it comes to this trait, as a lawyer, you either got it or you don’t!
You hire a lawyer to advise you when it comes to making some tough calls. These calls can occur on a moment’s notice, so you need to make sure your lawyer is up to the task. Being able to draw reasonable and logical conclusions quickly from (sometimes) limited information, really helps. You can probably see then how decisiveness in a lawyer would be very important – lawyers who sit on the fence are rarely effective counsel. Don’t worry though, here at Andriessen & Associates, we do everything in our power to shove them off that fence.
Good judgment in a lawyer also means being able to accurately advise you when it comes to your likelihood of success. We see opposing counsel show up to court or examinations for discovery ill-prepared all the time. They put on blinders and see only the merits of their own case. A good lawyer uses his or her good judgment to advise you on the best course of action – even if that means settling before trial or not even pursing an action any further. A good lawyer has the good judgment not waste your money on a pointless lawsuit.
Hmm…new year, new lawyer?
Disclaimer: We, at Andriessen & Associates, have never and will never physically shove any opposing counsel off a fence. We swear.
Robin K. Mann, Associate Lawyer