Tips for Finding a Winning Florida Lawyer
By Paul McMahon | Published on October 17, 2011 | 0 Comments
Clients come with an array of different expectations when they sit down to discuss their personal injury claim with an attorney. Some care deeply about the attorney’s personality. They want a compassionate, aggressive, or even authoritative lawyer. Others scrutinize the attorney’s background. Where did he go to school? Is he a member of any professional organizations? The questions and criteria are limitless. However, every client shares a common concern about a couple of things: Can the lawyer win my case, and can he secure a large settlement?
In truth, it can be difficult to assess a lawyer’s winning percentage. Lawyers aren’t baseball players, and analyzing their professional statistics is murky at best. Besides, it is not always easy to compare individual attorney’s experiences. Litigating class actions suits against major corporations is hardly the same as insurance defense, and the field can vary so widely that comparisons break down.
But there’s at least one accolade that seems tailor-made to the hard-nosed client who wants to know whether his attorney has what it takes to win a tough case: The Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Induction is rare and prestigious, and requires that an attorney have a record of big-ticket settlements (More than one million dollars, to be precise). But if you find an attorney who carries this honor, you can take it as an indicator of professional success.
In fact, less than one percent of US attorneys are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. As Attorney Paul McMahon, a Port St Lucie Personal injury attorney, who was inducted into the forum several years ago explains, the award is reserved for those who have distinguished themselves by securing million dollar and multimillion dollar jury verdicts, settlements, and arbitration awards. Mr. McMahon, who practices at the Law Firm of Cushnie & McMahon P.L. has obtained million dollar awards in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, civil rights violations and business disputes.
While prior successes do not necessarily guarantee future outcomes, there is hardly a better predictor of success in the courtroom than past accomplishments, and overall experience working in the field, explains McMahon, the Port St Lucie Personal injury attorney. Given the choice between an attorney with this distinction, such as the Port St Lucie Personal injury attorney, and one with an unknown or undistinguished professional record, the choice is often clear – pick a lawyer who has shown that he has what it takes to win high-stakes trials.
Even if you are seeking a personal injury attorney, but are not located near Port St. Lucie, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum is nationwide, and should not be overlooked as an informative tool to guide your search.
*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.