Lawyers are required to maintain high professional standards. We believe as attorneys we must live by these professional standards in all that we do and say. Under these standards, clients are guaranteed certain rights. Terner Elder Law, P.L., is committed to the highest standard in legal representation. All clients of Terner Elder Law, P.L., are entitled to at least the following basic rights in the course of their legal representation:

• The right to have your legal rights and options explained in plain everyday English without legal terminology.
• The right to know about my education, training, and experience. I will give you this information in writing if you request it. After all, the hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.
• The right to prompt and regular updates. I return telephone calls promptly, respond to emails quickly, and reply to letters without delay. Where circumstances require an unusual delay before response, I let my clients know that their inquiry has been received and promise an answer within a reasonable time.
• The right to zealous representation and effective counsel.
• The right to my best efforts on your behalf.
• The right to be treated with respect, courtesy, and consideration by me, and by any personnel employed by my firm.
• The right to have objectives defined before representation begins.
• The right to have an assessment of what can realistically be achieved and a specific time frame to be expected.
• The right to ask questions and make suggestions.
• The right to be advised of the status of your case and to obtain copies of all pertinent documents.
• The right to an estimate of legal fees and costs during any stage of the representation.
• The right to a detailed accounting of time spent (if your case is being billed on an hourly basis) and costs expended on your behalf.
• The right to a detailed accounting of money held in trust for you by the firm.
• The right to complete confidentiality. The attorney-client privilege means that generally the attorney (and all personnel in the attorney’s office) can’t reveal confidential information the client conveys to the attorney in the course of representation or when seeking representation. There are rare instances when this confidentiality can be broken
• The right to my loyalty. I will never agree to represent a client where that representation conflicts with my representation of other clients, unless both parties agree.
• The right to a written fee agreement.
• The right to a reasonable fee for the work I do for you. If at any time, you, the client, believe that I have charged an excessive or illegal fee as your lawyer, you, the client, have the right to report the matter to The Florida Bar, the agency that oversees the practice and behavior of all lawyers in Florida.
• The right to file a complaint with the Florida Bar for alleged attorney misconduct, if you feel the representation has gone awry.

All lawyers should promise these rights to their clients.

If you have a question about your rights as a client of Terner Elder Law, P.L., never hesitate to call or contact the firm. I would be glad to speak with you at any time about these rights or about your case.