You’ve been unfairly treated at work. Perhaps you even resigned because of it. But you’ve suffered financial setbacks and psychological harm as a result, or are still stuck in a workplace where you’re treated badly, and you’d like to see justice being done. Can you sue? If you already tried to handle the matter through internal channels within the business, you may have a case. Knowing whether you do have one and what you can hope to achieve by pursuing the matter means consulting employment lawyers. But how should you go about choosing a law firm to represent you? Look for these characteristics.
Choose Lawyers Specializing in Your Grievance Area
There are more types of lawyers than you might have expected. Some employment law firms are like HKM and have a team of legal professionals covering different areas of employment law that can be assigned to your case. Smaller employment law firms may choose specific areas of specialization, for example, discrimination.
Look for Awards and Reviews
Legal eagles aren’t above a little competition! Awards like “Overall Employment Law Firm of the Year” are a sure sign that you’re dealing with best-in-class lawyers, and since these awards are decided by experts, you can be sure that this type of award is a big thumbs up. Looking for endorsements from people who have been on the receiving end of a law firm’s services? It’s another good indication that you’re on the right track. Don’t just check their websites, spread your net to see what else you can pick up.
Check Out Association Memberships
Just as there are different areas of specialization for lawyers, there are various associations representing different practice areas. Being a member means having access to a network that shares information in order to stay on top of their game. Since association memberships usually come at a financial cost, you can be sure that firms such as these are willing to invest in continuous improvement and the latest updates in their fields.
Look at Case History
Just because you work for a big company doesn’t mean that they can’t be in the wrong or that employment lawyers won’t be willing to stand up to them. Even government employees have successfully brought actions through strong employment lawyers. See whether you can find out about previous successful lawsuits they’ve conducted and whether they have successfully prosecuted cases similar to yours.
Call and Enquire
Once you think you’ve identified lawyers who have the right credentials to represent you, try calling their offices to enquire. Tell them what kind of problem you’re facing and ask whether it’s the kind of case they’d be able to help you with. If everything checks out, it’s time to make an appointment. Will you prosecute your case successfully? A good employment lawyer will be qualified to tell you whether its worth following through and whether you stand a good chance of winning. Remember to bring along any evidence you have to support your complaint so that your lawyer can advise you properly. Unjustly-treated employees have successfully sued even the largest corporations, and you may be the next “David” to tackle the Goliaths.
