Why You Can’t Just “Ask a Quick Question”
When you call an attorney’s office, there is no such thing as a quick question. An attorney cannot speak with you until several procedures have been followed. We will explain why, when you call with a question, we cannot immediately transfer you to an attorney.
Most attorneys have specific practice areas. No attorney is familiar with all aspects of all areas of law. We must first determine if we have an attorney in the firm who can address your issue. If you have a custody issue and we do not practice family law, we cannot answer your question, but we will do our best to give you the contact information of a firm that may be able to assist you.
Once we’ve determined that your issue fits our practice areas, the next step is to ascertain whether we could have a potential conflict with anyone involved in your matter. What this means is we must ensure that we have never represented anyone that you are having a problem with and are not currently representing someone adverse to you. If you want to sue your neighbor for having their fence on your property, we must make sure that we have never represented your neighbor. If we had, and we agreed to represent you against them, we could have a conflict of interest.
So far, we’ve determined that we do practice in the area in which you need help, and we do not have a conflict with anyone involved in your matter. Why can’t you speak to an attorney now? Because they probably couldn’t answer the question yet. An attorney will need background information on your matter and may potentially need to review documents in order to answer your questions accurately and thoroughly. We will usually ask as many background questions as necessary to gather the information the attorney may require. We will also request any documents that may be necessary.
You’ve answered all the questions and given all the information, when do you get to speak to the attorney? You’re almost there. Now we will schedule the consultation. We can do the consultation over the phone or in person, whichever you prefer. You will finally get to ask your question, and because of the procedures that have been followed, the attorney will be prepared and have the information necessary to answer it.
When you call for help or information, we will do our best to make sure you get what you need. We ask that you understand why we can’t immediately transfer you to an attorney for a “quick question.”
Ms. Fine practices in the following areas: business law, estate planning, equine law, real estate law, or civil litigation. Please reach out if you need assistance.
