Lawyers that are not your litigation attorney may also be invaluable to act as a counsel to your legal team. Many larger firms offer team approaches which can be very beneficial, especially in complex legal cases. One lawyer is not responsible for all aspects of the case, rather different lawyers work together on their own individual areas of expertise.

If the legal firm is using a team-based approach to litigation, be sure to be clear on the fee structure. If it is in-house consultation within the firm how are you billed? How will you be billed if an outside consultant or attorney is brought into the team?

Before immediately taking on a case a good, experienced litigation attorney will evaluate the case and let you know what your chances are of being successful, and what potential problems may occur. Be very cautious of an attorney that "guarantees" you will win in court, this may be a sign of someone with little real world experience.