3 People Every Attorney Should Be Connected With
You are probably familiar with the concept that who you know is just as important as what you know when it comes to being successful in life. As an attorney, it is critical to build relationships with other people both inside and outside of the courtroom. Let’s take a minute to look the most important relationships an attorney should have and why they are valuable.
- Relationships With Other Lawyers Are Vital
In a civil matter, there is no prosecuting attorney seeking to prove that an individual engaged in wrongdoing. Instead, legal counsel for the plaintiff will engage in settlement talks or go to court against legal counsel for the defendant.
Building a solid relationship with the opposing counsel may make it easier to negotiate in good faith as these talks will be based on respect for each other. If opposing counsel understands your commitment to representing your client and knows that you are generally successful in doing so, he or she may opt to settle instead of going through a potentially long and expensive trial.
Furthermore, lawyers typically focus on specific areas of the law. In complex civil matters, they may need to consult another legal professional to gain a better understanding of the nuances in a case.
- Relationships With Judges Can Be Helpful for Legal Counsel
Typically, the result of a civil case is determined through negotiations; however, in cases where the potential settlement is very high, both sides might choose to go to court. The judge/jury will either decide that a plaintiff is not entitled to damages, or that the plaintiff is entitled to damages and award a specific amount. Throughout the trial, rulings made by a judge may influence how a jury makes it decision.
It is also possible that a judge will make the final decision in a case. While the facts in the case will trump a good relationship between a judge and a personal injury lawyer, it may be possible to get a favorable ruling in cases where the facts could be interpreted in a variety of ways. It may also come into play if the defendant’s attorney appeals an initial judge or jury verdict.
- Court Reporters Provide Important Information to Attorneys
Having a good relationship with a court reporter may make it easier to create a legal argument for a client. For instance, it may be possible to spot inaccuracies or inconsistencies in a person’s testimony by reading transcripts of a deposition or testimony in court.
That could be the difference between settling a case quickly or potentially losing the case altogether. It is possible that an attorney will encounter witnesses who speak a language other than English. A good court reporting service may be able to translate that testimony accurately and in a timely manner.
The relationships that an attorney builds with others may influence how successful he or she is in helping clients with their legal needs. Having the respect of others in the field may make it easier to gain favorable outcomes during settlement talks or obtain favorable rulings from a judge. When it comes to picking an attorney for civil litigation concerns, it never hurts to ask what kind of relationships he/she has built in the community.