Legal Insider: Finding the Right Employment Lawyer

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Reston Town Center that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement, and private sector employee matters. They write biweekly on RestonNow.

Finding and hiring a lawyer regarding a stressful and difficult employment issue can be quite overwhelming and intimidating for most people. There are many things to consider when looking for the right lawyer to handle your employment matter. The below guidelines may be helpful if you are looking to hire an employment lawyer for the first time.

Obtain legal advice early. If you wait too long to obtain legal advice or assistance with an employment issue, you may hurt your chances to amicably or effectively resolve the matter. The earlier you seek legal help, the more likely you are to avoid a more complicated and costly legal problem down the road.

Research the lawyer. When you are looking for the right employment lawyer, make sure to visit the employment lawyer’s or law firm’s website and review the attorney profiles. You’ll likely find useful information just by browsing the website’s attorney biographies, practice areas, and resource sections.

The lawyer’s website may also lead you to additional resources and will hopefully demonstrate that the employment lawyer has the requisite knowledge and experience in employment law. Of course, the website may not be the only or best resource regarding a particular employment lawyer, but researching the website is a good start and will likely lead you to one or two potential lawyers with whom to make an initial inquiry.

Provide a clear and concise written chronology of your case before the initial consultation. You’ll get more out of your consultation with an employment lawyer if you are able to provide the lawyer with a clear and concise written chronology or timeline of your matter prior to your initial consultation. Remember to include any relevant documentation that you may have.

If you provide written details and relevant documentation regarding your matter at the outset, the employment lawyer will have a better understanding of your matter at the initial consultation meeting. The employment lawyer will be able to spend more time providing advice instead of spending time trying to get up to speed on your matter during the initial consultation.

Don’t hold back important information. If you leave out crucial information at the initial consultation or at the start of representation, the omission could affect the employment lawyer’s initial advice or strategy, subsequent representation, or ability to effectively resolve your matter. It’s best to be candid and honest about your complete story, even if the details are embarrassing.

In this way, you’ll obtain the best advice and representation. Keep in mind that the information you provide to the lawyer at your initial consultation is privileged and confidential unless you waive the privilege.

Don’t expect the matter to resolve quickly. Legal matters typically take a long time to resolve. Do not expect to resolve problematic employment issues, especially issues that took time to develop, soon after you hire an employment lawyer.

Discuss legal fees and costs. Do not hesitate to discuss the legal fees and costs that may be involved in your particular employment matter during your initial consultation. Keep in mind that most employment lawyers do not bill their fees in the same manner as other lawyers, such as personal injury lawyers.

For instance, most employment lawyers charge for consultations and bill their time by the hour on a monthly basis. A trust or retainer deposit may also be required before representation begins.

Depending upon the type and timing of your employment matter, you may incur legal fees and expenses over a short or prolonged period of time. The employment lawyer’s fees and costs should be outlined in a detailed representation agreement. When hiring a lawyer or any other professional such as a doctor, there will be a considerable amount of fees and costs associated with services that are provided to you.

Keep expectations realistic. Unlike big class action-, accident-, or other personal injury-related lawsuits, most employment matters do not typically recoup extremely high settlement or damage amounts. An employment lawyer should be honest and up-front about what you can expect in terms of a monetary and/or non-monetary resolution of your employment matter.

It’s always a good idea to discuss potential outcomes with the employment lawyer at the outset of and throughout representation to keep expectations realistic and in check regarding what you can expect in a potential monetary or non-monetary resolution of your employment matter.

Our law firm represents and advises employees and employers in all types of employment matters. If you need legal assistance, please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BerryBerryPllc.