Generally speaking, all attorneys graduate law school with a similar “legal” education. However, in practice, each attorney holds a very different hand of cards based on their legal experience, life experience, and continued education. Experience matters.
Unlike many professions, lawyers are not required to declare a specialty. However, not all lawyers are equally qualified to handle all legal issues. What a lawyer learns in law school is a fraction of what the lawyer needs to know to be effective in the courtroom, to be effective in negotiating settlements, and to be effective in analyzing different legal issues. A lawyer who tries to practice in too many areas of the law may end up being a “jack of all trades and master of none.”
At Morefield Speicher Bachman, LC, our lawyers focus their legal practices in the legal areas where they have the experience and ability to excel. Rick Morefield focuses his practice on serious injury and wrongful death litigation, business litigation, and mediation services. Andrew Speicher focuses his practice on small business law. Stan Bachman focuses his practice on construction law and business litigation. Our attorneys focus on a few areas of law because that allows them to maximize their effectiveness to their clients.
Without experience, and the right kind of experience, the justice system can be incredibly difficult to navigate. If you put your trust in an inexperienced attorney or one who tries to do too many things, it could end up backfiring, leaving you worse off than before you sought counsel. In order to get a fair and just outcome for your case, you need a lawyer who has the respect of the lawyers on the other side. If the other side knows that your lawyer is inexperienced, it will be less likely that you will get the outcome you deserve. You need a lawyer with experience, not one with a large advertising budget.
Sometimes, even when you have a skilled and experienced lawyer, the other side will still not offer a fair settlement. When that happens, you need a lawyer who has experience going to trial. There are many complexities and nuances involved in a trial and an inexperienced lawyer can jeopardize your ability to get justice. Although hiring a skilled, experienced lawyer doesn’t guarantee you will win at trial, you need a skilled, experienced trial lawyer if you want to maximize your chances of winning. Your lawyer must know how to pick a jury, how to craft jury instructions, how to persuade a judge and jury, and how to use the complexities of the rules of evidence to get your evidence in front of the jury. Modern trials also require your lawyers to have a strong understanding of the technology necessary to present evidence persuasively to a jury. The lawyers at MSB Law have those skills. One of our lawyers has been invited to teach other lawyers how to try cases at the TIPS/ABOTA National Trial Academy held annually at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.
Building a Strong Case on Your Behalf
To build the strongest possible case on your behalf, you’ll need a lawyer who has the skills and resources necessary to investigate the situation, gather critical evidence, examine records, and review contracts. For example, a lawyer hired to help a client pursue a personal injury claim will need to be aware of all aspects of the injury-related incident. If the claim isn’t handled properly, you could lose out on compensation you desperately need for medical bills, lost wages, and recovery. Your lawyer will need to understand how to persuasively prove the other party is at fault and the amount of your damages. Your lawyer will also need to understand liability insurance, health insurance, liens from insurers and medical providers, and other issues that can have an enormous impact on how much money you are able to recover. An experienced lawyer will collect all possible evidence to build a strong case that puts you in a position of power to negotiate with insurance companies and the other side’s lawyers.
Making the Most of Your Time and Money
Expertise in a specific area of law is much more valuable than mediocrity in many different areas. Sometimes a well-meaning attorney will step outside his or her areas of expertise in the hope of landing a new client. The attorney’s inexperience can cost a client both time and money. Muddling through an unfamiliar system of processes can lead to missed deadlines and court dates, the filing of incorrect documents, and potentially costly legal proceedings. An experienced attorney will make the most of your time and money as they will know the correct procedures to accomplish your legal goals. We often accept referrals from other attorneys who are skilled in different areas of law. We also refer clients to other skilled attorneys when a client needs help that is outside our areas of expertise. What is best for the client always comes first.
Negotiating a Fair Settlement or Taking Your Case to Trial
The majority of cases are settled long before they ever enter a courtroom. Even so, you should hire an attorney with experience negotiating fair settlements and winning court cases. Not all cases can be settled, and when this option is not available, you need someone who knows how to fight. In some cases you will be dealing with serious physical, emotional, and financial hardships and the last thing you want to worry about is your attorney struggling during the trial process. However, knowing your lawyer has extensive trial experience can help you feel comfortable knowing they fully comprehend the process. The insurance companies and other lawyers know which lawyers are willing and able to try a case when necessary. Our lawyers have experience negotiating settlements and trying cases in the courtroom.
Knowing to Expect the Unexpected
When it comes to succeeding in jury trials, it’s important for attorneys to have the skill and experience needed to forecast how people are going to view a case. While some might expect the law to be black and white, in reality, it’s many shades of gray with loopholes and subjectivity. No matter how good an attorney is selecting a jury, it is still difficult to predict opinions and perspectives. That is why our lawyers use a variety of tools to prepare for trial including focus groups and mock trials when appropriate. This allows us to anticipate the issues that may affect a jury’s decision making at trial. An experienced lawyer will spend as much time preparing for a case as possible. They know that while the outcome cannot be guaranteed, they can control the quality of the preparation and leave no stone unturned.
Contact Our Experienced Lawyers at Morefield Speicher Bachman
One of the most important reasons to hire a lawyer with experience? Peace of mind. Knowing that you can trust your lawyer to handle your legal case allows you to focus on other aspects of your life. When you have a serious or complex case, one of the first questions you should ask is whether your lawyer has the experience and resources necessary for success. At Morefield Speicher Bachman, we have both—and we stand ready to help you.