Hiring an Attorney is a little different than hiring a plumber or Uber driver or even a handyman. When you hire us, it’s almost never a one day job.  We are going to have a relatively long term relationship with you.  We don’t need to be best friends, but you as a client have a right to be treated well.  In honor of Valentine’s Day, here are ten signs that your attorney is showing you the love you deserve.

1. They call you back. In a relationship, communication is key.  If you call your girlfriend and she doesn’t call back for a week you’d think something was up.  Well it works the same way with your attorney.  It should never take 24 hours for them to get back to you.

2. They treat you well.  Imagine your boyfriend and you are out to dinner and he starts screaming at you.  In front of everyone.  You’d be mad, scared, embarrassed and hurt.  Well some work comp attorneys think it’s ok to scream at their clients.  It’s not.

3. They don’t flirt with others. Some people try to make their significant other jealous by flirting with other people.  With a good lawyer, when they are with you, all of their attention is on you.

4. You want your friends to be with someone as good as the one you have.  The best compliment you can give an attorney is to refer a friend.  They should make you want to get them more business because of how they are killing it for you.

5. Their friends treat you well too. A lawyer’s support staff doesn’t have to kiss your ass, but they should treat you well and feel like a part of the team.

6. They are honest. Nothing is worse than catching the person you are with in a lie. Your attorney should always tell it to you straight.

7. They don’t steal from you. This isn’t super common, but some attorneys have stolen settlement checks or TTD checks.

8. They are experienced. Most people wouldn’t want to date the 40 year old virgin, especially if they acted like they were really experienced.  Well you don’t want to hire the 40 year old attorney only to have them assign you the young lawyer in the office who just got licensed to practice.  That’s not showing you love, that’s them training someone on your case.

9. They don’t talk bad about you behind your back. When I started my career I was a defense attorney.  It always amazed me when I was trying to settle a case how many lawyers for injured workers would tell me all the bad things about their client.  If you are getting the love you deserve, your attorney should present you in the best light possible.

10. After getting to know them, they don’t creep you out. Most people have a friend who started dating someone that seemed great at first, but when everyone gets to know them they are creepy.  Most attorneys put their best foot forward when they first meet you. If months later they seem like a different person or you learn who they really are, that’s a bad sign.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe night whether you have a Valentine or don’t. And most of all, if you have a lawyer for an Illinois work injury, I hope they are showing you love.