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Five Questions That Individual Employees Should Ask Before Hiring A Houston Employment Lawyer

May 2, 2015

Hopefully you will never need an employment lawyer in Houston. Luckily, there are many great Houston employment lawyers, and they work at firms all over the city. Some of them rank highly on Google search results, and others do not. Take your time and search thoroughly; do your research; and find someone who is the right fit for you and your case.

Here are questions we think you should ask before you select an employment lawyer in Houston:

1. Is the lawyer Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Specialization, or does the lawyer devote a significant portion of his or her practice to employment law in Houston? Do not be afraid to ask potential lawyers how many years he or she has practiced as an employment lawyer and how many employment law cases he or she has handled. Such questions can be important in gauging the experience of your potential lawyers.

2. Has the Houston employment attorney actually tried and won big cases in front of juries and on appeal? Ask the lawyer how many trials and appeals he or she has “first chaired,” and what the results were in those trials. Results matter. If your case is going to trial, it makes sense to have a real trial lawyer representing your interests.

3. Is the lawyer asking you to pay money before he or she will take your employment law case? If so, for what purpose and does that purpose make sense to you? There are legitimate reasons a lawyer may ask you for money. Unfortunately, some lawyers ask for money for the wrong reasons. Before you turn over your hard earned money, you need to feel comfortable that doing so is both necessary and will positively advance your case.

4. Does your Houston employment attorney speak or write frequently before other employment lawyers? Such speaking and writing can suggest knowledge about the subject matter and visibility in the community.

5. Did the lawyer hint or outright tell you to lie to make your case stronger? Lying is wrong, and liars get caught. Lawyers who encourage this behavior are acting unethically and do not have your best interests at heart. Your case is not as important as your integrity.