Employment lawyers represent you at a court hearing or to negotiate with your workplace on conflicting issues. It is important to be prepared before meeting your selected employment lawyer to enable them to effectively represent your case and achieve favorable results. Choose an employment lawyer that responds with compassion and listens to your story.
Lawyers consider cases that are legitimate and have substantial evidence. To represent you, they need to determine if your case is strong and there are many employment laws that your employer has neglected.
Here are five essential preparation steps to ensure that the lawyer considers your case:
1. Face-to-face discussion
A personal face-to-face discussion will make it more compelling and easy to tell your story. You can show evidence or discuss confidential matters. Communications is clear and you avoid any misinterpretations that occur with an email or phone call. Avoid using your company email, phone or computer to contact and correspond with your lawyer. A face-to-face conversation will also allow you to sign a confidentiality agreement that protects your information and case.
2. Act immediately
For your case to be effective, you need to contact the employment lawyer as soon as possible and immediately after the incident. Capture all evidence and submit your claim. Employment laws have certain deadlines in order for your case to be eligible. In addition, you have to give the employment lawyer sufficient time to investigate your case, substantiate your evidence and determine what laws have been breached. It will be helpful to prepare a brief timeline of events comprising your claim. Provide all details including dates, times, participants and the people that you reported the claim to within your organization.
3. Gather personnel information in advance
Gather all the information you have on your personnel records, warning letters, termination letter or any other communications that will strengthen your case. See if the HR in your department can provide you with a copy of your personnel file. If they refuse, ask your lawyer to request for this information. Being proactive will ensure you have the information you need and the possible information your employer has that can be used against you in your court hearing. If the lawyer has all this information, he/she can develop a big picture of the case and work towards arguing all matters of the case. He/she can also prepare to prevent certain evidence to be used against you.
4. Be familiar with the company’s employment policies
Make sure you have a copy of all the employment policies that can be used for your case. The lawyer will need these policies when preparing to represent you. There are certain report requirements you have to comply with that are included in the company handbook. Clearly note all the rights and protection you have. You also should have a record of reporting the actions to your HR department allowing them to correct the bad behavior before filing a claim.
5. Be honest
For your lawyer to represent you successfully, you have to be honest and truthful. Employment lawyers need all the facts and evidence to strengthen your case in court. They want to be prepared for any cross-questioning that arises. The employment lawyers may ask questions you are uncomfortable with, but that is only to clear any hurdles they have before considering your case for a potential representation. The responses you provide will help them to determine if your case is relevant and that they have to expertise to tackle it effectively. Lawyers will need the timeline of events. Make sure to provide full details and do not hide facts even if it was your fault. Remember as the case progresses the truth is discovered.