Perspectives
Why Providing Opposing Party Information Protects You
When you call in to Wagner, Falconer and Judd to open an intake on a new legal matter, the Customer Service Representative asks for the name of the opposing party, among other things. Although it may not seem to be the case, this is an important piece of information.
We use this information to determine whether or not there is a conflict of interest on the issue. A conflict of interest may arise if we’ve represented the other party, or if the other party is also a member of LegalShield. The ethical rules for the practice of law preclude us from advising in these situations.
This practice doesn’t just help keep us in ethical good standing; it also protects you! If someone else calls on an issue in which you are their opposing party, we would not be able to assist them here at WFJ. After all, you wouldn’t want your attorney helping the person you’re opposing–and neither would we.
If no conflict of interest is found, then we follow up with you and help with your legal issue. If a conflict of interest is discovered, however, it does not mean you won’t receive assistance on that particular issue. LegalShield has protocols in place to ensure that members still get their full benefits in these instances.
After a conflict is discovered, we alert LegalShield of the conflict of interest. We then contact you to advise you of the conflict, and we put you in contact with LegalShield’s Conflict of Interest Department. Then, you would get your benefits from one of the attorneys in our referral network.
It is in your best interest to provide this information upfront, and to have it handy when calling in. If we don’t have enough information to clear the conflict of interest, we must wait until that information is provided before proceeding to advise—this slows down the speed of our ability to provide assistance. Also, if information is withheld, it could create problems for our own case down the road. Our goal is to provide you with exceptional service, and your opposing party information is vital in making that happen. Help us, to help you!