How Choose Right Personal Injury
Inside Advice: How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Attorney By Kay Van Way, Attorney © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 1 Inside Advice: How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Attorney By Kay Van Wey, Attorney © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 2 Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 3 Disclaimer No self-respecting lawyer would write a legal guide without a disclaimer, right? I’m not going to put this in “legal-ease.” All I want to emphasize is common sense, and you already know it, so here goes: This book isn’t a guarantee that you will find the right lawyer by employing these methods. Nothing in this book constitutes legal advice. Reading this book and taking my advice doesn’t mean we have an attorney client relationship. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 4 Table of Contents Introduction The Attorney-Client Relationship Choosing My Clients Carefully Finding the Right Attorney First Things First Do I need to hire a personal injury attorney? 7 Inside Tips for Choosing the Right Attorney for Your Case TIP # 1: Don’t fall for advertising gimmicks: Legitimate Concerns TIP # 2: Don’t hire a lawyer without independently verifying their credentials. TIP #3: Look for client testimonials. TIP #4: Determine whether the lawyer achieved successful results for his or her clients in the past. TIP #5: Don’t hire a legal factory or a settlement mill. TIP #6: Don’t fall for offers to send an investigator to your home or hospital room. TIP #7: Evaluate how you will be treated. What’s Next? Know Your Rights Even if You Don’t Need an Attorney Bonus Materials: 7 Tips for “Do-it-Your-Selfers” About Kay Van Wey © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 5 Introduction I became the first lawyer in my family, and I have practiced personal injury law for over 25 years. When I first became a lawyer, we didn’t have fax machines, word processors, the internet, legal research, or electronic filing. While my skills have changed to adapt with the times, I have retained the “old fashioned values” I learned as a young lawyer, and I will never compromise these. An attorney should always look out for the best interest of a client. The Attorney-Client Relationship The attorney-client relationship is based on trust. I believe it is an honor to hold the title of attorney and to assist clients in need of my help. Clients come to me during times of loss or tragedy, and they rely on me to help. A natural bond is formed, and a relationship is developed. This is one of the best things about my career, and these relationships are very meaningful to me. I believe it is the duty of every lawyer to behave in a way that bestows honor on our profession. Unfortunately, the tacky advertising of a minority of lawyers has cast a black eye on the profession as a whole. The overwhelming majority of attorneys are honest, hardworking people who entered the profession to truly help people and make a difference. Sorting out these attorneys from others who are doing the job only for the money can be a difficult task. Attorneys just in it for the money are often willing to take advantage of people in need just to make an extra dollar. Choosing My Clients Carefully The attorney-client relationship is a two way street. Just as consumers choose their attorneys, a wise attorney also chooses her clients carefully. I have found that clients who possess unrealistic expectations or ill motives usually select lawyers who are the same way. Lawyers who are dishonest and irrational also end up with matching clients. The apple usually doesn’t fall © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 6 too far from the tree! Chances are, if you watch television, you will spot a few of these outrageous lawyers shouting at you through the screen. This type of lawyer seeks out clients who want revenge. You may also spot one through an advertisement showing a client waving a fistful of dollars. This type of lawyer is looking for clients who are only after reaping a windfall for their minor misfortunes. I have established a standard in my practice. I only represent honest people whom I respect, and I only accept cases in which I truly believe. So, if I spot a potential client who is looking for revenge, appears to be looking to hit the “lawsuit jackpot,” or who is trying to deceive me as to the severity of his injuries, then he will have to find another attorney. Finding the Right Attorney In reality, the client looking for revenge or the “lawsuit jackpot” is very rare. The overwhelming majority of clients who seek my representation are honest, hard-working, tax paying citizens who were minding their own business when someone else’s carelessness seriously injured them or tragically killed a loved one. My clients are focused on trying to put the pieces of their lives together, not on trying to get something to which they are not entitled. They’re asking themselves: How am I going to pay my medical bills? Who is going to take care of my family if I can’t work? Will this pain ever end? What does the future hold? Will I ever get my life back the way it was? Oftentimes, in the midst of all the pain, grief, and stress, they worry… “How will I ever find an attorney whom I © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 7 can trust during this difficult time in my life?” This book will answer these difficult questions and arm those in need of council with some tools that will help tremendously in making such an important decision. Reading this book will give you inside knowledge and valuable information that is essential for finding the best personal injury lawyer for you. Additionally, it will help you avoid being sucked in by meaningless or misleading advertisements. If you are reading this, something bad has affected your life, and for this, I am truly sorry. I wish for you a speedy and full recovery. I hope this book will relieve a bit of your stress and put your mind at ease with the confidence that you can find the right attorney to be your ally throughout your experience. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 8 First Things First Do I need to hire a personal injury attorney? As we struggle in the current economy, it is everybody’s natural desire to try and save money. Don’t be deceived though! There are plenty of “do-ityourselfers” out there. Big Insurance companies know this. They have well-orchestrated procedures for their representatives to actually deceive people into believing they don’t need a lawyer. Make no mistake…The insurance company is not your friend, no matter how nice the insurance adjuster may seem. Insurance adjusters may be generally great people, but they are being paid to carry out the insurance company’s mission … maximize profits by minimizing pay-outs! Here are the facts: Nationwide is not on YOUR side! State Farm is not YOUR good neighbor! YOU are not in good hands with Allstate! There are some cases in which you don’t need a lawyer. You can “DIY” (do it yourself) if you are involved in a car wreck and only your vehicle was damaged. Or, if you were involved in a car wreck and only sustained minor injuries, you can get your medical bills together and submit them and most likely be reimbursed by the other driver’s insurance company. However, if you are seriously injured, you would be foolish to try and take on the case yourself. Don’t be duped into believing that just because you have been wronged and seriously injured, a big insurance company is going to step up to the plate and pay you what you deserve. Please also remember, not all attorneys are created equal! Every © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 9 attorney does not possess the skills needed to put together your case and force the insurance company to pay you what is fair. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 10 7 Inside Tips for Choosing the Right Attorney for Your Case TIP # 1: Don’t fall for advertising gimmicks: THE ANGRY ATTORNEY There’s one thing that has always baffled me. Why should a lawyer get angry when you are involved in a car wreck? The wreck didn’t happen to him! Well, guess what? He really isn’t angry. He knows that your pain is his gain! The angry attorney act is disingenuous, fake, and is intended to play to your emotions. I am sure you are angry that you were injured in a car wreck, but you don’t need an angry lawyer. You don’t need revenge. You need fair and just compensation for your injuries. You need a lawyer who is able to keep his emotions in check and just do his job. You need a lawyer to help you keep your emotions in check as well, so that you don’t do something to compromise your case. Hiring an angry lawyer is the wrong thing to do...Don’t fall for it! THE LAWYER WHO IS WAVING MONEY IN THE AIR ON YOUR TELEVISION This type of attorney is trying to take advantage of people who have sustained minor injuries in a minor car accident and who believe they are entitled to much more than they deserve. There are lawyers out there willing to work with people like this. These types of lawyers frequently have relationships with doctors and chiropractors who are willing to be part of the plan as well. All parties involved are willing to exaggerate the person’s injuries in hopes © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 11 of getting a big payday. In my experience, insurance companies, and ultimately juries, don’t excessively reward people for their injuries. Good, honest attorneys work hard to get adequate compensation for clients who truly deserve it. They refuse to engage in a deceitful game to try and get a windfall for someone who doesn’t deserve it. THE CUT- RATE LAWYER I spent several years litigating some medical malpractice cases in Las Vegas. You haven’t seen tacky lawyer advertising until you have been to Las Vegas! The advertisement I liked the most was the one offering “half-price lawyers.” They had billboards on trucks driving all over town, advertising their services for “half-price.” I am willing to bet that the services they provide are half the effort as well! Seriously? If you were looking for a brain surgeon, would you look for the “halfprice” variety? haircut. Frankly, I don’t even think I’d want a half-price I don’t buy the meat at the grocery store that has been marked down to half-price either…There’s a reason for that, you know! Similarly, there are lawyers advertising “reduced rate contingency fees.” I have practiced personal injury law in Dallas for many years, and I have never even heard of some of these lawyers. I don’t run into them at the courthouse, and I don’t see them at legal conferences or meetings. I imagine their business model is to rake in as many small, minor personal injury cases as they can using this advertising gimmick to make a quick profit. Legitimate Concerns I understand that many people are concerned that if they hire a lawyer, the © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 12 lawyer will end up with all the money, and the client will end up with very little. An ethical, self-respecting lawyer would never resolve a claim, take the entire fee, and leave nothing for the client. When you meet the right lawyer, you will know she is taking your case and willing to work hard and be fair with you in the end. Beware of those who are in it to make money off your misery. They do exist, unfortunately. Virtually all personal injury lawyers take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning they charge a percentage of any recovery they obtain on your behalf. Almost all lawyers charge the same percentages, ranging from 33.3-50%, depending upon the complexity of the case, the amount of expenses that the lawyer will have to put into the case up front, and the length of time it will take to resolve the case. So, if you find a lawyer who is competing on the price of his services, all I can tell you is to beware. For a complex case, you really don’t want to hire the cheapest lawyer in town. TIP # 2: Don’t hire a lawyer without independently verifying their credentials. Just because a lawyer has decided to buy expensive television or radio advertising, take out a huge ad in the Yellow Pages, or plaster the freeways with billboards does not prove he or she is qualified. Would you hire a doctor because they had a good looking billboard or a catchy television commercial? Of course not! You would want to know about that doctor’s experience and results. Lawyers are no different. Any lawyer can claim they are a “personal injury lawyer,” but you should dig deeper to see what their actual credentials are. There are several independent rating organizations that can help you determine these credentials and qualifications: © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 13 A. Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law: In Texas, lawyers can become certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Fewer than 5% of all attorneys in the State of Texas are board certified in any specialty, and even fewer are certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. In order to be certified, the attorney must have substantial, relevant experience in personal injury law and have also demonstrated and been tested for special competence in that area. Board Certified lawyers earn the right to publicly represent themselves as specialists in a select area of law. This designation sets an attorney apart as holding the highest public commitment to excellence in personal injury law. Remember, virtually all personal injury lawyers charge the same contingent fees (a percentage of your recovery), so why wouldn’t you choose a Board Certified personal injury trial lawyer? It doesn’t cost extra to hire someone who has subjected themselves to the rigorous scrutiny of their peers and the state board, and who is committed to taking ongoing continuing legal education courses, submitting themselves periodically for re-certification. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 14 B. AVVO AVVO is an independent rating system for lawyers that ranks lawyers on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest rating possible. The rating model is based on the attorney’s relevant experience, any history of disciplinary actions, and the attorney’s achievements. Beware of the lawyer with no AVVO rating or a low AVVO rating. Considering that you’ll pay the same for a personal injury lawyer, because virtually all personal injury lawyers charge the same percentages of contingent fees, why wouldn’t you hire a personal injury lawyer with a “10” AVVO rating? C. Martindale Hubbell Martindale Hubbell has been in existence since 1868. When I first started practicing law in the mid 1980s, I remember the enormous books they published that listed the ratings of all lawyers in the United States. Now you can search online. Martindale Hubbell ranks lawyers based upon their years of experience, disciplinary history, and the opinions of their peers. This means that a lawyer’s Martindale-Hubbell rating has a lot to do with what his peers think of his abilities and ethics. This information is very valuable. This means a lawyer’s adversaries, as well as his colleagues and competitors, are grading him. A lawyer can have no rating whatsoever, or can have an A, B or C, with “A” being © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 15 the best. In addition, a lawyer can have a “V” designation, which means that attorney has very high ethics. Therefore, an “AV” is the highest ranking and means the lawyer is considered to have the highest abilities as well as very good ethics. When hiring personal injury lawyers, find out what their Martindale Hubbell listing is and how long they have maintained it. Look for an “AV” lawyer for any serious injury or wrongful death case. D. Texas Super Lawyers Attorneys who have been named Super Lawyers are evaluated on peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent (5%) of all lawyers in the United States are named Super Lawyers. Sometimes lawyers have a really good year or a significant case and they get the Super Lawyer designation one year, but you want to search for a lawyer who is “Super” year in and year out. Lawyers who have been named Super Lawyers for ten (10) consecutive years can display a special badge. Seeing a Super Lawyer badge displayed on a lawyer’s profile only means that at some point he was named a Super Lawyer one time. Maybe he was named a Super Lawyer in 2003, but hasn’t received the award since then. That is something you would want to know. For a very serious case, look for a lawyer who has the 10 year Super Lawyer badge. That shows you consistency, and not a flash © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 16 in the pan. E. The Top 100 Trial Lawyers The National Trial Lawyers Association invites 100 trial lawyers in each state for membership in this exclusive organization. Membership is extended only to lawyers who have “superior qualifications, leadership, reputation, influence, stature, and profile in the lawyer community.” Certainly, you do not have to hire an attorney who has attained membership in this organization, but you might want to check to see if she is a member, as it may give you some valuable insight into her legal reputation. TIP #3: Look for client testimonials. Some lawyers are “silver tongued” and could “sell ice cream to an Eskimo.” But what really matters is what their clients say about them. Now I’m not talking about the fistful of dollars variety. I am talking about people who are willing to give their names and who are actually talking about their experience with the lawyer. Did the lawyer communicate with them about their case? Was the lawyer hard working? Were they pleased with the results? Did they form a personal bond with their lawyer? Oftentimes these testimonials will be displayed on a lawyer’s website. Look for them. Look for real people with real stories to which you can relate. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 17 TIP #4: Determine whether the lawyer achieved successful results for his or her clients in the past. The Texas Bar has rules restricting what attorneys can say about their past results. The reason is that they don’t want attorneys to suggest that they’ll get a similar result for your case, when in fact cases can receive very different results. Past results can be important to simply let you know that “this isn’t your lawyer’s first rodeo.” For example, if you have a medical malpractice case and your attorney has never achieved a significant result in a medical malpractice case, then you might want to find a different attorney with experience. If you have an extremely serious injury or a loved one has died, you want to make sure the attorney has handled very large cases similar to yours in the past. There are several ways to find this information: A. Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum Lawyers who have handled large, even multi-million dollar cases are more likely to have handled more difficult cases. You don’t want your case to be the largest or most difficult case your attorney has ever handled. Lawyers who have successfully handled one or more cases resulting in a recovery of one million dollars are more are entitled to membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Lawyers who have successfully © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 18 handled one or more cases resulting in a multi-million dollar recovery are entitled to membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. For a very significant case, you should check to see if your lawyer is a member. B. Past Results The Bar Association can be very sticky about lawyers who list the past results they have achieved for clients. Some do and some don’t. Just because your lawyer doesn’t list results on his or her website, doesn’t mean he or she can’t give them to you if you request them. Request this list. However, past results do not mean that an attorney can achieve the same result for you, because each case stands on its own merits, but it certainly can give you a flavor for the type and variety of cases your lawyer has handled and an idea of the type of results he or she has achieved. TIP #5: Don’t hire a legal factory or a settlement mill. Find out whether you will be working directly with a lawyer or whether your case will be handled by a “claims manager,” “case manager,” “paralegal,” etc. There is nothing wrong with a law firm employing staff to assist with the work on your case, but you need to know your attorney and be able to interact with an attorney. I have heard horror stories from clients who never even spoke to their attorney on the phone. Their only communication throughout the life of their case was with clerks and assistants. Can you imagine being treated by a doctor, but the only health care provider you ever met was the receptionist or the nurse? You deserve a lawyer who will be there with you every step of the way, who will be accessible to you, and who will advise and guide you. A lawyer who cranks out “assembly line justice” may have his interest in © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 19 making a profit over your best interest. TIP #6: Don’t fall for offers to send an investigator to your home or hospital room. If your injuries prevent you from travelling to your attorney’s office, most attorneys will come to you. But some law firms attract clients by their willingness to send one of their “on call” investigators right over to your home or hospital room to get you to sign their papers. I even see law firms that have cars with their “car wreck law firm” logos proudly displayed being driven by “investigators” who are meeting with clients and their families to get them to sign up with their law firm. Some of these type employees receive a bonus on the number of new case “sign ups” they achieve in a particular month. Although it may seem convenient to have someone who is willing to come right over to your house, this doesn’t tell you anything about the lawyer who will actually be representing you or the quality of the law firm. All it tells you is that they are very aggressive about getting new clients signed up and that they are spending money on “gimmicks” to try and get clients to sign up with them before doing their homework. TIP #7: Evaluate how you will be treated. I was recently sitting in the reception room of a colleague who runs a large and very successful personal injury practice, waiting on her to go to lunch. First of all, I had to sit there for 20 minutes waiting on her, so I can only imagine how long she must keep her clients waiting. And second, I had a chance to sit there and listen to her receptionist talk to people on the phone. The switchboard was lighting up and going crazy and the receptionist would always say like a robot “are you a current client of the firm?” I just about fell on the floor. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 20 Seriously, they don’t even know who their clients are? Do you really want to have a lawyer that doesn’t even know you exist? I certainly wouldn’t. Of course, lawyers are busy and some have a lot of clients. You aren’t their only client, but they shouldn’t have so many clients that they don’t even know who you are. You don’t want to be a file number or someone’s case inventory. You are a person and deserve to be treated as such. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 21 What’s Next? Know Your Rights, Even if You Don’t Need an Attorney After reading this, you may have determined for yourself that you don’t need an attorney. If that is the case, I have included a few tips on knowing your rights so that you can do your best to avoid getting taken advantage of by an insurance adjuster. If you know you need a lawyer, but don’t know who to choose, I hope this guide is helpful to you as you embark upon finding the right personal injury attorney for your case. After you have done your research, I invite you to call me so we can discuss if I am the right fit for you, and if you are the right fit for me. I don’t take every potential client that calls my o0ffice. In fact, I am very selective about the people I choose to represent. As I stated previously, I only represent people I like and causes in which I believe. When I agree to accept representation of a client, I am committing myself to spending money (sometimes a whole lot of money), and sometimes years of my life, fighting for them and their cause. The following is an idea of the things I look for in a client: You just want what is fair and you’re not the type of person to think that your ship has come in because you were injured. You have a serious injury or wrongful death case. Or, you have a less serious case, but want my advice about who might be a good attorney for you. You are willing to be open-minded and will listen and consider my advice and counsel. You try hard to get better. You want to become part of my “extended family.” © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 22 You want an attorney who cares about you as a person. If you and I should choose to work together, I want you to know that it is a high honor for me when clients choose me to represent them. I consider being an attorney an awesome responsibility, and I will fight with all my heart. Of course, no lawyer can guarantee a “win” or a favorable result for your case any more than a doctor can guarantee the result of a surgery or other medical treatment. But I’ll tell you that I will listen to you, I will take your case seriously, and I’ll give you my best advice. With me, you won’t get put through an assembly line. You are an individual, your case is unique, and you will be treated as such. I would be extremely egotistical to believe that I am the only attorney who would do a good job for you. There are plenty of personal injury lawyers who are capable of doing a good job for you. My hope is that this book will greatly increase your odds of finding one of these lawyers as opposed to the “ambulance chaser” types who give the rest of us a bad reputation and blacken the eye of our honorable profession. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 23 Bonus Materials: 7 Tips for “Do-it-YourSelfers” If you have a property damage only claim or have suffered a temporary or very minor injury, you may not need a lawyer. Here are a few tips to keep you from getting run over by the insurance company. 1. Do not sign anything. You will be asked to sign a medical authorization by the insurance company. Don’t do this. These medical authorizations give the insurance company the right to obtain all of your medical records and read all of your medical history, regardless of whether it is related to the accident or not. 2. Do not give a recorded statement. The insurance company will want to take your recorded statement. There are no rules for these types of statements. They can ask you anything they want. If you do decide to give one, ask them to send you a list of questions in advance so that you can carefully prepare your answers. I don’t mean to imply that you should ever say anything but the “whole truth and nothing but the truth,” but some people have an inclination to talk too much. I always tell my clients, “if they ask you what time it is, don’t tell them how to build a watch!” Now, this doesn’t apply to your own insurance company. There is probably a clause in your insurance policy that requires you to cooperate and give a statement. But still, you should follow the general guidelines about preparing and sticking to the facts. If you were at fault and have been charged with a traffic offense or other offense, it may be advisable to consult an attorney right away. You don’t want to make a statement that could come back to haunt you. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 24 3. Don’t settle your case before you have completely finished treating and are completely recovered from your injuries. The insurance company’s best interest is to waive a small sum of money under you nose, hoping you’ll jump at it before you fully understand your injuries. I can’t tell you how many times I have had people come to my office AFTER they took some “chump change” from an insurance company and signed a release of their rights, only to learn later that their injuries were much more severe than either they or their doctors realized at the time. Guess what I can do for them under these circumstances? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. 4. Do obtain all of your medical records and bills. You are entitled to a complete copy of your medical records. All you have to do is ask your healthcare provider for a copy and sign a release allowing them to give you your records. In most cases, you will incur a charge for this. Put these all together in a neat package and send copies to the insurance company. Review the records first to make sure you understand what the health care providers say about your injury. 5. Do obtain documentation of any lost time from work. There are two components to this. First, have your doctor document that you were unable to work and have him or her write up an “off work” excuse for you. Give this to your employer so that it will be part of your personnel file. Then, whenever you are able to return to work, get your employer to write up a statement that shows the dates you were off work and how much money in wages you lost. Attaching a pay stub to verify your salary or wages can be helpful. 6. Ask about healthcare liens. You need to find out if the insurance company intends to put a hospital, health insurance company, or government agency on your settlement check. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 25 If the insurance company does this, the check is likely worthless to you without an attorney. By law, Medicare and Medicaid have an automatic lien on your settlement proceeds. Many hospitals file liens on your case, oftentimes without you even knowing it. Most health insurance policies have subrogation provisions that require you to reimburse them for the amount of money they paid healthcare providers to treat you for your injuries. Even things like child support liens can now attach to personal injury settlements. Even if you can do 99.9% of the case on your own, you may need to hire an attorney to navigate and negotiate your healthcare liens. Find this out BEFORE you agree to a settlement and for sure BEFORE you sign a release. I frequently have clients come to me who have very serious injuries. Their injuries were so severe that the insurance company “threw in the towel” and paid out the limits of the available insurance. In some cases, this has been $100,000.00 or more. Sounds tempting right? In most cases, the client theoretically saved themselves $33,000 or more by not hiring a lawyer, but that’s not the end of the story. Boy, were they surprised when they got their check and it was made payable to them and Medicare or them and the hospital where they were treated. Of course, Medicare or the hospital was happy to have them sign the check over to them to pay for their medical bills, but that would have left the client with nothing. In this instance, you do need a lawyer. In some cases, a lawyer will work with you on their fee to make sure that the healthcare providers, insurance companies, and lawyers don’t end up with all your settlement proceeds. You were the person who was injured, and a good lawyer will recognize this and will work with you. 7. If you are unsure….ask! Sometimes people come to me with an offer in hand from an insurance company, but they are unsure whether it is a fair offer that they should accept or whether they should hire an attorney. If you find yourself in this situation, © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 26 there are lawyers out there like myself who will give you their honest appraisal of your case and advise you whether you ought to accept the insurance company’s offer or hire a lawyer. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 27 About Kay Van Wey Kay Van Wey, attorney at Van Wey Law, is a veteran personal injury trial lawyer, having practiced in the field for well over 25 years. Kay represents good people and fights for worthy causes. Over the years, some of Kay’s cases have gained local as well as national media attention. Some of the results she has obtained for her clients have qualified her for membership in the Million Dollar as well as the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Kay has been named a Texas Super Lawyer every year since the award first was given (2003) and has earned it every year since (2013). This has entitled her to the 10 year Super Lawyer Award. Since the late 1980s, Kay has maintained an “AV” rating by Martindale Hubbell and has also maintained “pre-eminent” status since the mid-1990s. When AVVO came along, Kay quickly achieved the highest rating (10) that they offer. Recently, Kay was selected for membership in the Top 100 Attorneys in Texas. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 28 A NOTE FROM KAY I am very proud of all the honors that have been bestowed upon me over the years of my legal career. However, what makes me the most proud are the relationships I have formed with my clients. Truly knowing that I have touched people’s lives and helped them navigate through a tragedy in their lives is what keeps me going. What some of my clients don’t know is that they touch my life as well. For, it is in giving that we truly receive. © http://www.AdvoKayte.com Page 29
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