Growing older comes with challenges and many legal decisions will have to be made, including asset protection, financial power of attorney, advanced medical directives, guardianships and more. Picking the right attorney can be complex, but you want to ensure all your needs and your elder’s needs are met. Maryland law attorney Douglas Lauenstein discusses the five tips to successfully hire the right elder law attorney. 

Get Referrals and Check Their Credentials 

Talk with your friends, family, co-workers, accountant, financial advisor or family attorney about attorneys they may know or have worked within the past. Referrals are dependable and you know who you are working with will be knowledgeable and experienced. Another great resource is reading testimonials. Testimonials offer beneficial information and guidance on whether or not to move forward. Confirming credentials is important and can be a deciding factor in hiring the right attorney. You want to ensure who you are seeking legal services from is authorized. You will be sharing personal information with this person. To check their credentials, you can contact the Maryland State Bar Association.

Meet for a Consultation

 Meeting in person will help you understand how the attorney handles cases and will allow you to familiarize yourself with their work. A good strategy to picking the right attorney is meeting with multiple different attorneys. You will be able to present your case and compare and contrast attorneys’ responses. This can ensure that the attorney you choose has experience in the area that you need and will meet all your requirements. 

Look for an Experienced Attorney

You want to pursue legal advice from someone who is knowledgeable and experienced in the area of law you are seeking. You don’t want to hire someone who specializes in Employment and Labor law. They will not be familiar with elder law cases, such as estate planning, nursing home and disability planning, 

asset protection, financial power of attorney, advanced medical directives and guardianships. When meeting with attorneys, be sure to ask them to speak about their experience working in cases similar to yours. 

Analyze their Customer Service Skills

Hiring an Elder Law attorney can be sensitive, as well as stressful. When working with an elder law attorney you want to ensure they are professional, attentive, compassionate and personable. It is important that they have clear communication skills and are responsive. They should take the time to explain things to you in an approach that is appropriate and understandable.

Take Notes

Speaking to multiple attorneys can be overwhelming and stressful. To help you remember each attorney, their areas of expertise, qualifications, experience and customer service you’ll want to take notes. Creating attorney profiles for each person will help you eliminate the attorneys that will not match your needs. 

Speak to the Experienced and Knowledgeable Maryland Elder Law Attorney Douglas C. Lauenstein 

Picking the right attorney can be stressful and overwhelming. At the Law Offices of Douglas C. Lauenstein, experienced and knowledgeable attorney Douglas C. Lauenstein will work with you to make a plan for you and your loved ones that will alleviate confusion and stress. Contact Douglas C. Lauenstein today.