For best results: the secrets to building a good relationship with your lawyer.

• Author: Wells, Nicholas
• Position: Legal Brief

Although most people don't want to use lawyers, most will need one at some point. To improve your overall experience, follow these important rules for building a solid client-attorney relationship:

Choose the Right Lawyer

No lawyer is thoroughly knowledgeable about every type of law. Think through what you need a lawyer to do and invest some time finding the right one to solve your problem, whether it's European data privacy or collecting child support payments. By using the right lawyer, you will avoid paying someone to learn a new area of law on your dime. For example, if you need help with a commercial office lease, do not rely on an attorney who primarily does immigration law. You will regret it.

Lawyers in Utah are not allowed to say they are an "expert" in an area of law, so you may need to ask others for recommendations, research their profiles on their websites, or quiz a potential lawyer about their experience with the specific type of work you need done. Spend five to 10 minutes talking with the lawyer to see if there is rapport. If you do not feel comfortable talking with him or her, then move on to another prospect. A good relationship helps create good results.

Prepare Yourself

Think about what you want your lawyer to accomplish. What are your goals? What would be the best result and what would be an acceptable result? What can you give up? What are your biggest concerns?

Gather up the details you would expect a lawyer to need, such as copies of contracts and notes about phone calls, names and addresses. By helping your lawyer be efficient, you can lower your bill, set the performance standard higher and most likely see a better end result.

Set Expectations

Whether starting a relationship with a new lawyer or resetting an existing relationship, work together to set agreed upon expectations. How often do you expect an update? What method of communication do you prefer (phone, email, letters)? How quickly will calls or emails be returned?

To keep money issues at a minimum, find out the lawyer's hourly rate at the start. Ask how often invoices are sent as well as payment terms and methods. Ask whether a retainer will be required and what is billed in addition to time (telephone calls, emails, postage, etc.). Inquire about an expected total fee for your project, which will make it harder for the attorney to significantly exceed the estimate without a good reason. For some matters, you can ask for flat-fee billing. These may be...