Almost everyone has faced a legal matter of some sort during the course of their lives. In many instances, you can simply call a lawyer and make an appointment for the assistance you need. What do you do, however, when you are in need of legal services after hours? Well, the good news is you can still call the attorney of your choice and work with their attorney answering service to get the assistance you need.

The first thing you need to know is that the chances of actually speaking to an attorney instead of an attorney answering service are slim. More than likely you will speak with the virtual receptionist who will take your information and pass it along to a staff member of the firm. That person will in turn contact you and let you know how the firm can assist you with your needs.

Do not be afraid to work with the live receptionist service in providing as much detailed information as possible within your message. While you don’t want to give away any personal information, you do want to ensure that you provide enough detail within the message for the live receptionist service to dictate the urgency of your specific situation as well as when you need a return call. Moreover, if you are not in a position to receive a call back (say for instance, you’ve been jailed for your offense or legal matter), then you need to communicate that information to the professional answering service virtual receptionist and make them aware that you need immediate assistance and not in a position to call back. An award winning answering service that works closely with attorneys can understand how to handle situations such as this and ensure that your messages reaches a member of the firm that can assist you.

Be clear and concise about your situation with the professional answering service. Don’t waste time demanding that someone call you back right away. Focus instead on providing any details possible to the virtual receptionist and then ask how and when you may be contacted. Understand that if the attorney cannot do anything for you immediately, they will let you know exactly when, or if even, they can help you. The toll free answering service won’t be able to provide this information; they can simply get your message to an attorney. It is not up to the attorney answering service to answer your questions or provide you with immediate assistance. However, they are the ones to communicate your situation, so be sure to give as much information as you can get begin receiving the assistance you need in a timely manner.