Choosing the right lawyer can make or break your case

Choosing the right lawyer for your case can be quite challenging, but it can also have a profound impact on the result of your case. Deciding which lawyer to hire is a very important decision and it is essential to know what to expect from a lawyer you can trust.

At Kelley Kaplan & Eller, we communicate with our clients regularly, keep them updated on the progress of their respective case, and always do our best to make them feel comfortable. If you’re looking for a bankruptcy lawyer in West Palm Beach to fight for you, look no further than the Kelley Kaplan & Eller team.

What can you expect from a trusted lawyer?

Proper Communication

Though many states have regulations that govern when and how attorneys communicate with their clients, there are a few important specifications you should be aware of. A general overview of your case should always be available to you. Also, your phone calls and emails should be returned within one business day. If the communication takes longer, a trusted lawyer should give you a genuine reason as to the cause of the delay. If your lawyer fails to keep you updated on your case or will not return your phone calls, you should seek other representation.

Competency and Ethics

While there are many lawyers out there who are well versed in the legal system, there are also many incompetent ones. Even though attorneys are just as capable of making mistakes as other professionals, it is a reasonable expectation for them to be knowledgeable about your proceedings and work through your process in the correct manner.

If you find that your attorney has made an error that no reasonably competent attorney would make, and that mistake led to someone being harmed or to loss of money, you do have the right to file suit against him. This includes ethical or procedural mistakes.

Ethic rules require attorneys to:

Maintain attorney-client privilege

Put their client’s interests ahead of their own

Represent their client’s interest with loyalty

Maintain separate bank accounts for their client’s money

Refrain from engaging in any criminal activities

Perform their duties to the degree of a reasonably competent attorney

Work within the realm of the law

If you do decide to file suit against your lawyer, however, you will likely have to hire a new attorney, and pay for that legal representation as well.

Fees

Perhaps the most common dispute area pertaining to legal representation is billing. It is not always required, but often very prudent, to get a fee agreement in writing before any work is done on your case. This will protect you from being charged in the future for work you have already agreed on a set price for. Many common fee issues include:

• Complaints about bills being too high

• Disagreements over the types of fees that are charged

• Concerns that a lawyer intentionally spent too long on a task

• Complaints regarding over-charging for time spent

• Bill reductions when attorneys perform poorly

• Disagreements over whether an itemized bill should be given to a client

• Billing at attorneys’ rates for work done by their paralegals or legal secretaries

Kelley Kaplan & Eller is the competent, trustworthy law firm for you

At Kelley Kaplan & Eller, we pride ourselves on providing exactly what you would expect from a knowledgeable, experienced, and ethical bankruptcy lawyer in West Palm Beach. We have dealt with all types of cases while servicing the areas of Stuart, Boynton Beach, Port St. Lucie, and Jupiter. Schedule an initial consultation with one of our trusted attorneys and let us get started on your case today.