What an Attorney Is, and Is Not

People have a lot of misconceptions about what an attorney does. Most of us see a vast amount more law, and attorneys practicing law, on TV or through dramatic, fictional mediums. In reality most of what an attorney does is not stand up in court houses in places like Mason, OH and shout objection, then badger an opposing witness into confessing. Instead the primary job of a lawyer is to frame the evidence as it’s presented. Law is a bizarre combination of very high stakes, and actually very boring. A good attorney isn’t someone with a flair for the dramatic, or the hardnosed warrior who never quits. A good attorney is someone who knows trial procedure, they understand people and the law, and they know how to negotiate and settle. For a client, this is a good thing.

You don’t actually want an attorney who has a flair for the dramatic, and you desperately want an attorney who knows how to negotiate and settle. The vast majority of cases, in any municipality, Mason, OH included, don’t reach trial, they’re settled out of court and even of those that make it to trial, and many are settled before the jury has to decide. The fact of the matter is that a settlement is often a win for both sides. You get your money sooner with certainty as to how much you’re getting, and the defense is saved the price of a legal defense. Remember even if you’re on a contingency with your attorney the other side is likely paying rather high hourly attorney’s fees. It’s in their best interest to settle for a reasonable amount, and it’s sometimes in your best interest as well.

An attorney who’s a true believer and refuses to budge or negotiate is going to cost his or her self a lot in time effort, and even winnings. A client who pushes to never settle might find out that the reason they were offered a settlement wasn’t because losing was predestined, but because they were trying to avoid attorney fees. The reason why most good attorneys are good negotiators and reasonable people is that any area of law is bound by geography (convenience and license requirements) and that means that the amount of personal injury lawyers in Mason, OH is limited. They all know each other and all have to work with each other, someone who has the reputation of never negotiating or settling isn’t going to be feared, they’re going to have a hard time working with anyone at all and likely won’t have a long career. Despite the fact that this might sound like it’s bad for the client, you want an attorney who’s reasonable and will be reasonable with you as to your odds.