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How to achieve good communication with your lawyer

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The world of law, which understandably looks very complicated and difficult to the layman is actually very demanding even for an experienced legal practitioner, particularly with the continuous changes within the legal arena. Those who practise law, as a consequence of their high-level studies and through their years of experience, have a deep knowledge of the legislation and of the legal procedures. Many are the times that lawyers represent their clients at courts, while giving advice to them in order to ensure that the right decision is made and in fact, are always available to support and guide them throughout the legal challenges they face.

More than ever, good communication between the lawyer and the client is of high importance since it has to be based on mutual respect, trust and honesty. In order to achieve this, so that the client is not “intimidated” by his lawyer, there are a few important steps which should be given due consideration.

Let us take, for instance, the first meeting with your lawyer. Most clients, observe that the lawyer is prepared as he comes to the meeting with questions and everything is recorded in writing with the client’s permission. In the same way, a client could prepare a list of questions he would like to ask his lawyer. This will save the client time and money as it will help avoiding misunderstandings and repeating the same issues over and over.

Maintaining good communication with your lawyer, also requires consistency. With the latest technological advances, it is very easy to contact your lawyer from wherever you are, by making either a phone call or sending an email or even having a Zoom or Microsoft Teams call. Making a call to your lawyer, every so often can relieve you from unnecessary stress in regard to the status of your case.

Honesty and transparency are two very important elements. In the same way that you expect your lawyer to be honest towards you as a client, you should also be providing him with all the necessary documents and evidence needed for your case, with honesty and trust. This will help the outcome of your case. Do not forget that your lawyer is under oath of confidentiality. By being honest and transparent you therefore build trust.

Moreover, try to present all the documents which could be used as evidence in your case on time. Do not prejudice your case by withholding important information, because often if a document is missing and the client fails to deliver it when asked, this could seriously jeopardize the entire case.

Pay attention to your lawyer before you take any important decisions. Of course, in any case, your lawyer will not force you to make a specific decision or take action on your behalf unless you instruct him to do so. Listen to your lawyer’s opinion because he is the person who can see things from an objective angle. Take his advice into consideration and before you act make sure you know “when”and “why” you are acting in such a way.

Although you may be happy and content with your lawyer, especially after he wins a case on your behalf, you may not be quite so happy when you see the invoice that comes to your doorstep. Of course, this does not happen at all times but it would be wise to discuss the fees payable (preferably in a written legal services agreement) with your lawyer from the very start so that you know where you stand. Usually law firms issue invoices to their clients on a monthly basis but you have the right to ask for billing updates on a more regular basis so you can organise your budget and be prepared.

The right communication between client and lawyer, which is based on respect and honesty from both sides, will definitely lead to a positive outcome. Sometimes, you will need to show patience with some matters but do make sure that you are in constant communication with your lawyer. Remember, that you are both on the same team with a common goal which is nothing else but achieving a successful result.

The content of this article is valid as at the date of its first publication. It is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and does not constitute legal advice. We recommend that you seek professional advice on your specific matter before acting on any information provided. For further information or advice, please contact us at info@kyprianou.com