ARE YOU A BULLDOG LAWYER?

I get asked that at least once a month. All attorneys have heard from potential clients who want to hire a Bulldog to represent them.  Why?  Because they erroneously believe that such lawyers are effective advocates for their clients.

Some people are generally unreasonable and unpleasant; some of these people happen to be lawyers.  It is not hard to find them, as they are usually preceded by reputation.

These Bulldog lawyers have an inability to arrive at appropriate results in a timely fashion.  They don’t return phone calls, are unprepared for hearings, and are unable to competently identify key issues in a case.  But they are wonderful at turning legal cases into personal vendettas, when doing so has no practical purpose.  Legal fees tend to get expensive, quickly, when fighting about anything and everything.

A Bulldog lawyer does not intimidate a competent attorney.  I tell my clients in advance about the other attorney’s reputation, in order to prepare them.  No party to litigation truly enjoys the experience, and you have to wonder about the unnecessary emotional cost their clients pay.

Judges and juries do not appreciate Bulldog lawyers.  Court time is valuable and dockets are crowded.  Recent studies suggest that jurors are particularly sensitive to choosing sides in a trial based upon a Judge’s rulings and demeanor toward individual attorneys.  If an attorney argues ten points of law, when only two are viable, the stain of the poor arguments can filter down to the good ones.

There is so much more to being an effective advocate than just being adversarial.  Be cautious when a lawyer brags about being tough and aggressive.  A competitive spirit should not be confused with a combative personality.  The qualities you should demand in a lawyer are no different than those you would want from other people in your life:  diligence, competence, honesty, and reasonableness.