by Bob Shepherd, MS, FAMI
Board Certified Medial Illustrator
President and CEO of MediVisuals.com
MediVisuals has provided illustrations for, and consulting with attorneys for almost 30 years, in almost 30,000 cases, and in all fifty states. Through this experience, I have come to know many attorneys and their reputations so, friends, family, and sometimes complete strangers often seek recommendations from me for attorneys to help them with various matters. This has resulted in some inward thought regarding what characteristics determine the best lawyers in personal injury, medical malpractice or other fields.
Based on my experiences, most attorneys seem to fit into two primary groups. The first group of attorneys are those that obtain and resolve high numbers of cases. These attorneys typically take in and then rapidly settle large numbers of cases. It is not fair to say that all lawyers who advertise heavily on television fit into this first group, but most of the attorneys in this group typically advertise heavily on television and elsewhere to obtain large numbers of cases because their business model is based on volume. Unfortunately, insurance companies soon come to recognize that many of these attorneys are reluctant to invest the time and money to take the cases to trial, and therefore do not offer as much money to resolve their cases as they might offer to an attorney who has a reputation of regularly taking cases to trial and obtaining a more true measure of justice for their clients. As a matter of cash flow and profit, and because these same attorneys must resolve cases for less than their true worth, they cannot invest much time or money into them. . . further ensuring their clients may not obtain what their case might be worth.
The second primary group of attorneys consists of those that will invest time, effort, and money into their clients’ cases in order to obtain a full measure of justice for them. These lawyers are well respected by their peers, their opposing attorneys, and by the insurance companies. Most of these attorneys do not need to advertise heavily on television because cases come to them via other avenues. Clients who perform in depth research regarding the skills and reputations of attorneys in a specific area of law often find them directly. Some cases come to these attorneys from satisfied repeat clients or through referrals from satisfied clients. Many other cases come to these attorneys as referrals from other attorneys because they are recognized as among the best in their specific practice and likely able to obtain the best results for the client.
Having worked with most of the members of the Taos group, I can attest to the fact that the lawyers in the Taos Group are among the best and most well respected in the nation. Their hard work and attention to cases have resulted in some of the most just verdicts and settlements in the country. Taos Group Attorneys are located in most states. If one of them isn’t able to help with a specific issue or in a specific location, they can refer you to someone who can.