Post written by
Forbes Legal Council
Experienced chief legal officers & law firm partners from Forbes Legal Council offer firsthand insights on legal issues.
Before hiring an attorney or law firm to represent your business, it’s important to know whether they’re the best possible option for your company — and that means asking the right questions. But the due diligence process can be daunting. How can you ensure you’re selecting the best match for your company?
Six chief legal officers and law firm partners from Forbes Legal Council suggest which questions to ask a law firm before you make a final decision, from inquiring about their previous clients to learning how much they know about your industry.
Clockwise from top left: Matthew Digesti, Anthony Johnson, Matthew Moisan, Fatima Khan, Dan Hussain, Doug Bend. Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Can I Speak With Your Former Clients?
Ask for the names of three clients that the attorney provided similar services for. Contact those three clients and ask them detailed questions about the attorney, the services, the quality of work, the billing practices, and the outcome. Former clients are a treasure trove of information that will help you evaluate the attorney. – Matthew Digesti, Bristlecone Holdings
2. What Can You Tell Me About My Company?
If your lawyer can’t even tell you what you do and what your company stands for, then you need to keep looking. Companies need to build a team that understands the vision and direction of the company. That includes the company’s lawyers! – Anthony Johnson, Johnson & Vines, PLLC
3. What Is the Ideal Outcome of My Case?
You’ve done your research and narrowed your pool of attorneys down to three. Now what? Ask each of them what they believe the best outcome of your case is. This will allow you to assess whether they have listened to you (as the attorney should know what you want the outcome to be) and also allow you to understand how they would approach your specific matter. – Matthew Moisan, Moisan Legal PC
