Architectural plans copied from a book can produce an unsightly mess that sinks into too-soft soil or topples in a stiff breeze. A surgeon following diagrams inspires terror instead of confidence. A plumber who follows the diagram, but cannot tell left from right, has been known to hook commodes to hot lines and dishwashers to cold.
The cut-rate plumber, the by-the-numbers surgeon, the electrician who mutters, "close enough," the builder who just slaps materials together, all set off our alarm bells. And every line of work, including the law, has practitioners who spend a lot of our time fixing the mistakes of the one-size-fits-all, get-them-in-get-them-out crowd.
For as far back as I can remember, I have seen a steady trickle of cases that started with everyone excited, but ended with somebody dropping the ball. All too often, this has included collection, where the judgment has been won by default when the debtor does not show up, but then no one can figure out how to deal with the judgment debtor who does not just write a check.
Nowadays the horror stories come in a flood. For years, mortgage brokers and real estate agents bonded with their customers by griping about lawyers; then the customers hired lawyers from the brokers' and agents' "approved" lists; then nobody watched the people who could and did cheat us because they were the sources of "business" for the lawyers on the list.
I often hear from desperate people who receive summons and go to cut-rate bankruptcy lawyers. They pay over money, only then to be told they need another lawyer to defend the lawsuit. Amazing to anyone familiar with the legal system as a whole, but these stories are the natural and consistent result of shopping in the generics aisle.
Price is always important in any transaction, but if we save a few dollars and end up worse off than we started, what good did we do ourselves? When I have to hire someone to do anything for me, these are the things I look for, and it makes sense that these are the same qualities I would seek if I needed a lawyer:
* Honesty. Anyone I deal with must be honest, both personally and professionally. The rap of the fast player can be seductive, but someone who would lie, cheat and steal for me would, if given the opportunity, lie to me, cheat me and steal from me.
* Quality. Everybody has an idea of right and wrong, and we do not always agree. My lawyer should commit to doing things right and let me worry about doing the right thing.
* Integrity. No one has all the answers. I would rather deal with people who face the tough questions square on and have the guts to say, "I don't know."
* Diligence. After "I don't know," should come, "...but I'll find out and get right back to you." The diligent are easy to spot. Their personal and professional affairs reflect their attitudes.
* Presence of mind. It is important to know when to speak and what to say, but more important to know when not to speak and what not to say. As Calvin Coolidge said, "Nothing I didn't say ever got me in trouble."
* Balance. People with overriding agendas and unresolved issues will come into conflict with my needs. My business is nobody's crusade. It is my business and I deserve undivided attention.
* Personal responsibility. Winners have no time for excuses and no need to blame anyone. Excuses and finger-pointing are as poisonous as dishonesty and laziness.
* Confidence. Do the people I deal with truly believe in their own ability? The Teddy Roosevelt approach impresses me: "Walk softly and carry a big stick."
* Experience. The inexperienced can pass up rich rewards to avoid the smallest risk or charge into danger for minimal returns. Experience teaches us the possible results of our choices, including the real and often negative consequences of doing nothing at all.
* Trust. Most important of all is whether I trust someone. For me, when it comes to hiring anyone, and especially a lawyer, it always boils down to, "Do I feel comfortable entrusting myself, my business, my family's future, to this person's care?"