Whether to hire a large or a small personal injury law firm is a common question. As one might expect, both have pros and cons. This article will address some of the concerns and issues related to making the decision.
The Advantages and Drawbacks of Large Law Firms
Big law firms bring a lot to the table.
The benefits of hiring a large firm include:
- Multiple lawyers
- Paralegals
- Legal assistants
- Student interns
- Secretaries
- Large budget (often a large advertising budget)
If the large firm has substantial experience, advantages might include access to numerous expert witnesses, robust systems for drafting documents and preparing for depositions, etc.
Sometimes, our clients and friends who have previously worked with large firms express dissatisfaction with their experience.
Some indicate that non-lawyers primarily handled their cases, including staff such as:
- Caseworkers
- Paralegals
- Legal assistants
- Student interns
It also seems that problems with communications (e.g., failing to return calls, respond to emails, or share regular updates) may arise with larger law firms. Since these big firms handle large numbers of cases, some clients felt that their cases took too long to resolve as they were lost in the shuffle.
A Closer Look at the Pros and Cons of Small Law Firms
Concerning small law firms, this article will address our practice—which is truly a family business. Since 1991, Attorney Brett Oppenheimer has had experience in injury law (motor vehicle accidents/collisions, injuries from dangerous products—product liability claims—wrongful death cases and medical malpractice cases). Brett’s legal assistant, Laurie, is his wife of over 30 years.
One of the benefits of working with this small law firm is communication and work ethic. Brett and Laurie share their cell phone numbers (and are available 7 days/week, 365 days/year) and respond to calls, emails, and texts daily (including nights and weekends).
We are proud of what our clients think about their experience working with us. Many have left positive reviews.
Suppose you consider hiring an attorney with a small firm. Of course, in that situation, it is reasonable to confirm that the practice has sufficient funding to properly pursue a case (hiring experts, paying for depositions, etc., can be very expensive) and that the workforce can handle its caseload.
On the topic of caseload, and, again, only having the ability to discuss our law firm, we accept very few cases. This strategy allows Brett to focus on the cases he accepts. But, for the cases we do take—we are proud of the attention we can pay to those clients’ cases
We are also proud of the pace at which we can move them through the long process, including the following:
- Investigation,
- Gathering of records/bills/evidence,
- Presentation of an opportunity for the defense to engage in pre-litigation (before a lawsuit is filed) settlement discussions and,
- Filing of a lawsuit and litigating the claim (if not settled pre-litigation).
If you or a loved one has questions about a motor vehicle accident/collision, were injured or lost life due to a dangerous product, or were the victim of negligent medical care and believe there is a valid medical malpractice claim and would like to consult a small law firm, you are welcome and encouraged to reach out to Brett Oppenheimer.
Call (502) 242-8877 or submit an online form today. We provide legal representation in Louisville.