Common Mistakes Attorneys Make When Hiring Private Investigators

Common Mistakes Attorneys Make When Hiring Private Investigators

Fiction writer William Petersen once wrote, “A smart person is not one who knows the answers, but one who knows where to find them…” This is so true, particularly when it comes to hiring private investigators. Most attorneys and law firms are pretty smart, but still make quite a few basic mistakes when hiring PIs to work on a case. So we asked the investigations guru, Tim Santoni of Santoni Worldwide to list a few of them that he encounters. Santoni says that sometimes attorneys:

Don’t match the case to the specific type of investigator. Santoni says “specialization of experience” is very important and we always want to make sure the investigator being hired has done this specific type of work before—and many attorneys just don’t check this.

Don’t get a clear outline or engagement agreement. Santoni advises, “you have to know the parameters of the work for it to be successful so you always want to request something in writing.” Santoni continues, “We always provide new clients with a no-cost investigative plan—which includes transparent pricing.”
Don’t understand the specific methodologies that will be used by the investigator. Santoni says, “Again, the attorney needs to know what we’re going to do, how we’re going to do it and most importantly, what we are going to say (or not say) during the course of the investigation.
Don’t do conflict checks. Santoni says it’s very important to make sure the investigator doesn’t have any conflicts on the other side that could affect the outcome of the investigation. So it’s important to specifically ask if the investigator has ever done work for any of the parties involved in the current case.
Don’t know the difference between getting raw data and the comprehensive results of a full investigation. There are some investigators who just do a very basic data dump and send that to the client while calling it an “investigation.” Santoni says. “Great investigations begin with data, but provide deeper analysis and conclusions so the attorney is well informed and able to make the best decisions during the case. So if you’re just getting data, get another investigator,” he says.

And there you have it! As we’ve seen so many times, success or failure in the courtroom or during the settlement process depends on having the very best, most detailed information about a case. That’s why great attorneys and law firms across the country work with the worldwide team of Santoni Investigations who will ensure you know everything to make the right decisions and maximize the settlement process or win your case in court!