how long give lawyer time to call you back for consultation

How long can a lawyer Keep you Waiting for a return-call?

A simple answer is that it is discourteous for lawyers to keep you waiting for a return call for more than 24 hours. But the question also relates to the way that lawyer or law firm manages communication with clients. Some firms are more respectful of clients than others and the time to find out is before you retain that lawyer to represent you.

How long should I wait for my lawyer to respond to email?

 · Normally attorneys will get back to you as soon as possible. If you state in your message that it is an emergency then they should get back to you sooner. It also depends on the time of day the message is sent and their schedule for the day. It is best to simply call the attorney by phone.

Is it appropriate to call your lawyer twice a day?

 · First of all, you hire this lawyer because this lawyer is successful. That means the lawyer is busy. You’re not the only client. There are 20 or more other clients who are also sending in lots of voicemails and emails. Be aware of that. Don’t forget that. Secondly, the lawyer you have hired is someone who is in and out of the office a lot.

Is it discourteous for lawyers to keep you waiting 24 hours?

 · Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us. Although most consultations are complimentary, some may carry a charge depending on the type of matter and meeting location. Schedule a Consultation Learn More About Our Firm Similar Articles Learn about Law

How long should it take for an attorney to return your call?

Scott Aalsberg Esq. A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.

What does it mean when your lawyer doesn't call you back?

This is how the practice of law is supposed to work. So often when a lawyer does not return your call for a few days it may simply mean your lawyer is busy getting some important work done in your case or in another client's case. There is nothing going on with your case.

How often should your attorney contact you?

There is no set formula for how often you will hear from your attorney. However, the key to a successful attorney client relationship is communication. Whenever there is an important occurrence in your case you will be contacted or notified.

Why do attorneys take so long to respond?

Once a case gets filed in court, things can really slow down. Common reasons why a case will take longer than one would hope can include: Trouble getting the defendant or respondent served. The case cannot proceed until the defendant on the case has been formally served with the court papers.

Is it normal to not hear from your lawyer?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process. Remember, your attorney's job is not to get you the fastest settlement.

Does a lawyer have to call you back?

When a lawyer is not representing you, there is no particular time period during which the attorney has to call you back, in fact, the attorney is not required to call you back at all.

What should you not say to a lawyer?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•

What to do when your lawyer stops communicating with you?

If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems. If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney.

When should you call your lawyer?

An incident of driving under the influence or domestic violence; accusations of any kind of criminal behavior, including white collar crime or tax fraud, should send you straight to your lawyer. If you don't have a lawyer, then your first call should be to someone you trust to help you find one.

Why do lawyers not take cases?

The attorney may have not seen enough financial incentive to pursue your case, or they may think that someone else is better qualified to represent you in a court of law. It's also possible that they don't feel good enough about their chances of winning your case to accept it.

Why would an attorney call me?

It could be that you are a witness to some event that they represent someone else for, they could represent a creditor of yours, or many, many, many other reasons.

Do lawyers take a long time to respond?

Your Lawyer Is Busy with Other Cases Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most. Your lawyer owes you responsive communication, even if you're not their only client. There's no excuse for an attorney who takes weeks to return calls or emails.

How do you know if your lawyer is selling you out?

Signs of a Bad LawyerBad Communicators. Communication is normal to have questions about your case. ... Not Upfront and Honest About Billing. Your attorney needs to make money, and billing for their services is how they earn a living. ... Not Confident. ... Unprofessional. ... Not Empathetic or Compassionate to Your Needs. ... Disrespectful.

How do I ask my lawyer for an update?

AnswerRaise the issue early on. Establish, in advance, a clear understanding about case updates. ... Be reasonable. A defendant who phones his or her attorney with a request for information can indicate a willingness to speak with the lawyer's associate, secretary, or paralegal.

Is it okay to lie to your lawyer?

Lying about, or omitting important facts, makes the lawyer's job to defend a case much harder by forcing the lawyer to focus on tasks that distract from the overriding goal of successfully defending that case.

Do attorneys give free consultations?

Many attorneys offer both free consultations and paid consultations, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. The key to understanding the difference, is that generally attorneys will not give legal advice without being first hired by the client.

Can an attorney give legal advice without being hired?

The key to understanding the difference, is that generally attorneys will not give legal advice without being first hired by the client. Attorneys don’t give legal advice without first being retained for a myriad of reasons, including requirements from their malpractice insurance carriers.

Can an attorney give free legal advice?

The key to understanding the difference, is that generally attorneys will not give legal advice without being first hired by the client. Attorneys don’t give legal advice without first being retained ...

What is the purpose of a free consultation?

The purpose of a free consultation is not to obtain specific legal advice in the consultation, but rather to allow you to determine whether you would like to hire the attorney and to allow the attorney to determine whether he or she can help you achieve your legal goals.

What happens if my attorney doesn't respond to my question?

If your attorney does not respond within a business day, he or she should provide you with a reason why they were unable to answer your question (typically, if your lawyer is working on multiple cases, he or she may be tied down in court on some days).

How to communicate with a lawyer?

Lawyer communication, competency, ethics, and fees are important aspects of an attorney-client relationship. As a summary you can expect your lawyer to do the following: 1 Give you advice about your legal situation 2 Keep you informed about your case 3 Tell you what he or she thinks will happen in your case 4 Allow you to make the important decisions regarding your case 5 Give you an estimate about what your case should cost 6 Assist you in any cost-benefit analyses that you may need 7 Keep in communication with you 8 Inform you of any changes, delays or setbacks 9 Give you the information you need to make good decisions, and 10 Prepare you for your case, including deposition and trial preparation.

What are the most common problems lawyers have with their clients?

Fees. Disputes regarding attorneys' fees are perhaps the most common problem that clients have with their lawyers. Fee disputes typically arise for many reasons, but the following are the most common: Complaints about bills being too high. Disagreements over what kinds of fees would be charged to the client.

What is billing at an attorney's rate?

Billing at an attorney's rate for work done by a paralegal or legal secretary. Complaints regarding over-charging for time spent on a case. The first thing that you should do upon finding and hiring the right lawyer for your case is to make sure that you get the fee agreement in writing that you can understand.

What is lawyer communication?

Lawyer communication refers to the correspondence and communication between a client and his/her attorney. If you have a lawyer communication problem, you may be wondering if you have a bad attorney or if he or she is doing a poor job on your case. You should know that many states have laws regarding when and how a lawyer must communicate with clients.

How to avoid interruptions in an attorney appointment?

To avoid interruptions, be sure to turn off all cell phones or other electronic devices just before your appointment. Following these tips will help ensure that you have a productive first meeting with the attorney and start a good working relationship should you decide to hire him or her.

What is an initial consultation?

All attorneys meet with prospective clients in what is called an initial consultation. This is a first meeting between you and the lawyer to help you both decide whether you want to work together in an attorney-client relationship. At this point, you are both checking each other out, and getting information and advice that can help you ...

What is the first meeting between a lawyer and a prospective client?

All attorneys meet with prospective clients in what is called an initial consultation. This is a first meeting between you and the lawyer to help you both decide whether you want to work together in an attorney-client relationship. At this point, you are both checking each other out, and getting information and advice that can help you with your case regardless of whether you hire that lawyer or any other one.

Why do attorneys keep their information confidential?

Remember, the attorney will keep this information confidential, unless required to share it with a court because it is relevant to the legal matter or with law enforcement for a public-safety reason. You may think the information is too trivial or embarrassing to mention, but it may well be extremely important, so share it.

What to do if you don't have a lawyer?

If you don’t have a lawyer, then your first call should be to someone you trust to help you find one. If you don’t have that trusted resource, your city or county bar association is a good place to start looking for a referral. Once you have found a trusted lawyer, follow her advice, which is what you hired her for.

Do clients care about the cost?

Clients often insist that they don’t care about the cost--it is the principle that counts. Unless you have money to burn, the principle will seem much less important when you get the bill. Your neighbor has planted bamboo on your property line or has a tree hanging over the fence on your property.

What to do if there is domestic violence?

If there has been any kind of domestic violence; significant wealth or debt; kids (even cherished pets), call a lawyer. Don’t act as your own. In some cases both members of a couple may be able to use one lawyer to help them mediate the issues and bring about a mutually agreeable solution.

Jennifer L. Ellis

If your attorney is anything like me, she gets 160 emails a day. I understand your inquiry is important but not urgent, resend it with a return receipt request to be sure it is opened. If it gets urgent, resend it as a fex and call staff to ask for a prompt reply. More

Anthony Bettencourt Cameron

It is definitely not a good sign that you are posting this to strangers and not her. Two weeks sounds unreasonable but perhaps they are on vacation or the message was forgotten so follow up on same.

Eliot M. Wolf

This is a judgment call, and depends very much on your situation and its urgency. If you've got a hearing or a deadline coming up and you're trying to make a decision, then your situation may be very urgent, and that might justify following up more quickly, and more insistently, than otherwise...

William J. Dyer

The best way to communicate is the way that you and your lawyer have agreed to in advance. A lawyer is responsible to be communicative with a client, in fact, failing to do so is a serious ethical breach--but there is no hard and fast requirement in any state I am...