Monday, November 08, 2004

Interviewing Juveniles - ABA tips for attorneys

These guidelines are obvious to any skilled investigator, but it's good to know just what attorneys are saying about how to interview a juvenile client.

A good initial client interview is crucial to successfully representing juvenile clients. My work in the public defender’s office, representing juveniles accused of everything from loitering to armed robbery, has taught me that gaining a client’s trust and good representation go hand-in-hand. Below are ten tips I use to help guide juvenile clients through a successful initial client interview. These questions focus on trust-building and making juveniles more comfortable speaking to a lawyer.