ATTORNEYS AT LAW



1009 W 7TH AVENUE



ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501



TELEPHONE: (907) 279-4529



FAX: (907) 279-9223

If you are injured, one of the most difficult decisions you must is the attorney who may be hired to represent you. Failure to choose an attorney who will effectively abide by a client's desires and properly represent you can be devastating. Therefore, it is important to take the time to properly select an attorney who you believe will act in your best interests. This article will explore steps that may be taken in the process of selecting an attorney.

There are many resources available which can assist an injured person in locating a lawyer. Friends and relatives who have been injured can refer you to an attorney who they believe was beneficial in representing them. Your treatment providers may have names of lawyers with whom they are familiar with. The Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service will provide the names, free of charge, of three attorneys who practice in the specific area of personal injury law. The telephone number of the Alaska Lawyer Referral Service in Anchorage is (907) 272-0352, or toll free from points outside of Anchorage: (800)770-9999.

The Yellow Page listing of a telephone directory is another place where personal injury attorneys can be located. Review the Personal Injury section of the Fields of Practice portion of the directory at the end of the listings under Attorneys. The list is overwhelming, and it is difficult to determine who to call based on the advertisements placed therein. If you know an attorney in Anchorage or have hired one for another purpose it may be helpful to ask for a recommendation.

Regardless of how a lawyer is located, it is important to interview an attorney at the start of the process to ensure that he or she has the qualifications and experience that you desire. It is helpful to remember that you are hiring the attorney to work for you.

It may be useful to prepare written questions for an attorney in advance of your appointment to get the most out of your meeting, and to insure that all of your important issues are discussed.

Attorneys often provide a consultation which can last for a half hour or more. Attorneys who are referred by the Bar Association may not charge more than $50.00 for a one half hour consultation. At a consultation, you can question the attorney to determine whether he or she can assist you with your legal problems. You can also inquire regarding the fees charged and services that the attorney provides. Some attorneys will consult with clients for no charge for personal injury matters.

Some personal injury attorneys will perform services on a contingency fee, which means that they will not charge you up front for their services, but will normally ask you to give them a percentage of your ultimate award if and when you recover for your injuries.

Other attorneys may charge by the hour for their services and ask for a retainer from potential clients which is required to be given to the attorney prior to performing any work for a client. A retainer is a deposit of money which is placed in a special trust account until fees are actually earned by an attorney. Find out before or during the consultation whether or not the retainer is refundable. If it is, you will be billed for services provided, and at the end of the representation, if the retainer is not exhausted, any money remaining in the trust account will be returned to you. If the retainer is non-refundable, the attorney may keep the entire amount regardless of the extent of the services provided. Some attorneys charge an hourly fee, and others charge a flat fee. Ask the attorney how you will be charged for the services provided. Also, ask the attorney if costs will be billed separately from attorney's fees. Costs may include such things as court filing fees, photocopying, messenger service, sending and receipt of facsimile documents, computer work, long distance calls made on Client's behalf, court reporting costs; and the costs of hiring experts and other outside sources to assist at trial or in trial preparation.

It may be wise to consult with two or more attorneys and compare their services and rates. Also, it is important to choose an attorney who you feel comfortable speaking with, who appears to be interested in your particular case, and one upon whom you believe that you can rely to speak to the court on your behalf. Find out how long the attorney has practiced law in Alaska, and how much of the attorney's practice includes personal injury matters.

Finally, it may be important to seek out an attorney who will act in a manner that is consistent with your desires in your particular case. If you believe that the case will be complex and require an aggressive approach, you may want to seek an attorney who has demonstrated a willingness to be aggressive when necessary. Similarly, if you believe that your attorney should work toward settlement, look for someone who agrees with this approach.

Steven Pradell is an Anchorage Attorney with a practice emphasizing personal injury, family law, and criminal law.

© 1998 by Steven Pradell. This article is not intended to provide legal advice and should not be relied on for that purpose.