You may find yourself in the position of the executor, and in that case will want to hire a lawyer to answer some questions or handle a probate administration case. This is not a simple choice and you will have to talk to many candidates before you make a final decision on the one to handle the job.

The lawyer chosen to handle the probate case will be consulted on various issues including financial, legal matters, and even personal issues. In this case, you need a personality that is patient enough to handle all kinds of pressure. You may not have to necessarily use the attorney who drew the deceased will. You are not obligated to hire the same person just because the deceased employed them to represent their efforts. The lawyer will have to turn up the original signed will to you, which means you are at liberty to choose whether you will maintain their services or will go for a fresh hire.

Getting Candidates for an Official Interview

Getting probate lawyers who handle estates for interviews is not a difficult affair. You may use the Australian Lawyer Directory to access all the profile information of lawyers. The database will provide you with the experience and philosophy of each lawyer to give you an idea of their operation and probably the right fit for the job. The system is important as it gives you a guideline on choosing potential interview candidates and prevents you from blindly selecting people who may not be fit for your probate case. You may also do a small amount of research on the people who have worked with the lawyer to know their reputation and success score in their cases.

Carrying out Interviews

You need to be clear upfront to your candidates that you plan to talk to several lawyers before hiring one for your case. This will make them step up and display their best during the vetting process. Some of the questions you may want to ask during the interview include:

• Have you handled any probate cases? If yes, how many?
• How do you charge? Hourly rate, flat rate, or other ways?
• Do you have legal assistants in your office who do some work for you at a lower hourly rate?
• How long do you intend to handle the probate case?

All of these are leading questions that will guide you to a person who is a good fit for the job.

Getting the Right Professional

Consider two major factors when making a final decision on who to select for the probate case.

• Communication: Lawyers who cannot communicate clearly to offer clear clarification when asked are a no go zone. Look out for people who are clear enough and can express their views in a reasonable manner.
• Respecting your Simple Efforts: You need a lawyer who understands that you are doing your best to understand and run your responsibilities as an executor and possibly cut down on some fees.