By Attorney Howard Iken: There is no doubt about it. Everyone wants the best attorney in town. They want the mythical heavy hitter that will outmaneuver, out-think, and out-intimidate the competition. No one comes to an attorney looking to win second place. When you are talking about money, children, compensation for injuries, or property, second place does not cut it. You want and need to come in first place. So it is natural that some attorneys try to fit the mold of the heavy hitter and give you the feeling they are the right attorneys for you.
In almost a thousand cases, countless consultations, and interactions with other attorneys I have learned a lot about the myth of the heavy hitter and exactly why it is usually a complete and total myth.
Many “heavy hitters” see you at the first consult and then never see you again.
After that first consult someone with one or two years of experience magically replaces the heavy hitter. Many times your new attorney is just learning their new chosen occupation and does not have years of experience in the trenches. Many people report seeing their intended attorney at the first intake meeting and then only hearing from them when they need to pay more money. Many people never speak to the original attorney again.
Many “heavy hitters” spend all their time scheduling and rescheduling
If you look at many court cases, you will notice “heavy hitters” spend most of their time setting up hearings, setting up depositions, canceling hearings, canceling depositions, and then rescheduling everything above. All of the scheduling, canceling, and rescheduling takes a heavy toll on your money. It looks good, it sounds good, but it does very little for your personal cause.
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Many “heavy hitters” are simply not effective in court.
They are great in the hiring phase. Their offices look just right. They have expensive things. They have good voices. But in my experience, many “renowned attorneys” are absolutely terrible in court. I have seen heavy hitters that show up in court with shaky voices. Some of them never appeared to have studied the case file. Instead, they had staff or junior attorneys prepare the file for that hearing and stick it into their hands an hour prior to the actual date. That sort of preparation is never effective. The best attorneys do their own prep and in the process, they get an intuitive feel for the case. In the trial court, it is ultra-essential to be able to think on your feet.
Many “heavy hitters” make promises they cannot keep
It is a very effective sales technique to promise certain results. Especially if those results probably cannot be achieved. But that does not stop some people from making those promises. If you hear the following statements, you may want to think twice before hiring that particular attorney:
- “I can get you anything you want”
- “I know the judge”
- “I will destroy the other side”
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These are real statements that other attorneys have made, as conveyed to me by clients that retained our firm. They are deceptive, untrue, and unethical statements. They can get an attorney in trouble. And most important, those statements are usually made by “heavy hitters” that are not quite so heavy.
The promises a good attorney should make:
- “I will personally work on your case from beginning to end”
- “I believe in your case and will fight for you”
- “It could be a difficult battle, but you have my very best”
The attorneys at Ayo and Iken own their cases. That means our attorneys meet with you, plan your strategy, are at your side in court, and are there every step of the way. We do not hand off your case to someone inexperienced. You get the person you hire, right to the end. We will tell you the absolute truth of your situation. But then we will fight for you as if it is our own situation. Call us now for a free consultation.