It’s essential to do your homework when choosing a lawyer to represent your case. To find the right one for you, we recommend looking into these six criteria to get a good overview of what to expect. They include:
- Experience with personal injury cases
- Record of settlements and verdicts
- Participation in professional organizations and associations
- Reviews and testimonials from clients
- Acceptance of contingency fees
- Online social media presence
We’ll discuss how attorney, Greg Coontz, fares in each one.
1. Experience with Personal Injury Cases
Greg shares his practice with a fellow lawyer, Jeff Cochran. The Coontz-Cochran Law Firm handles the following types of cases:
- Negligence
- Premises liability
- Trucking accidents
- Wrongful death
- Car accidents
- Construction accidents
- Drunk driving
- Burn injuries
He is board-certified in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1993. According to Avvo.com, his case breakdown includes:
- Personal injury, 50 percent
- Litigation, 40 percent
- Probate, 10 percent
Personal injury is a clear focus of his practice.
2. Record of Settlements and Verdicts
The firm’s website is forthcoming about settlements and verdicts that it is not bound by confidentiality to disclose. It provides a brief summary as well as the amount awarded. It’s worth noting that the top of the Settlements page contains a disclaimer that past victories don’t necessarily translate into successful future outcomes.
Our take is that they show experience in their specialization and help complete a synopsis of what a particular lawyer can bring to a case. The willingness to share these details ticks off this box for us.
3. Participation in Professional Organizations and Associations
Participation with lawyer groups helps attorneys stay current with the latest issues. Greg holds several memberships in professional associations. They include:
- Texas Trial Lawyers
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Johnson County Bar Association
- Chairman of the Section 7 of the Texas State Grievance Committee
He is a hometown boy, practicing in Burleson, Texas where he grew up and went to high school. He attended Texas Wesleyan University and received a B.B.A. in 1982. He received his law degree from Baylor University in 1984. He was then admitted to the Texas, Texas Northern District Court, and Texas Eastern District Court bars in 1985.
He received the 2017 Martindale-Hubbell’s Preeminent Award for Peer-Rated Highest Level of Professional Excellence. The Burleson Star Newspaper awarded them the Best Law Firm of 2015. He also has a 10 rating on Avvo as one of the Top Attorneys for Personal Injury.
Greg does pro bono work, but the website doesn’t provide much beyond that statement. There is also a mention of him serving as local counsel. The profile page gives some personal details about him which can make the experience of seeing a lawyer less intimidating.
When we put it all together, his background and awards speak for themselves. These details along with his board certifications provide the necessary information to say he meets this criterion.
4. Reviews and Testimonials from Clients
The firm’s website does not contain any reviews from clients. However, he has two 5-star ratings on Avvo.com. They cite his honesty and compassion. There are also three 5-star reviews on their Facebook page where similar themes are expressed. The firm has claimed its Yelp.com page, but there are no reviews.
5. Acceptance of Contingency Fees
The firm’s website makes information about charges clear with this statement: “We charge nothing upfront or out-of-pocket. In fact, you don’t pay anything until you win!” It’s an excellent example of Greg’s confidence in his ability to see that justice is served for his clients.
However, we did not find any mention of a free initial consultation which we found surprising. The Avvo.com site recommends that users contact the firm directly for more information.
6. Online Social Media Presence
The firm’s website has a lot of evidence of an active social media presence. It includes a blog and badges for Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. However, the blog hasn’t been updated for over a year. The status updates on Twitter and Google+ are more in the form of plugs for the business than anything else. The Facebook page is updated more frequently with local news.
While the presence is admirable, social media works best only if you keep up with it. In today’s world, it isn’t a luxury but a necessity for connecting with potential clients. To the firm’s credit, the website provides a good deal of information to educate users about the legal process.
Conclusion
The Coontz-Cochran Law Firm meets all of our criteria, albeit, some more than others. The firm’s About page provides some details, but it would be helpful to get more information about his participation in professional associations. More client testimonials are needed too. These are things you can discuss when you meet with Greg.