I don’t want to discuss embarrassing details about my life with people outside my family; that makes it very, very hard for me to deal with my lawyer; should I tell my lawyer embarrassing things about my case?

Almost everyone who talks with an attorney about her or his personal relationships, business dealings, family situation, or other matters or problems, feels a certain amount of reluctance to talk about more personal or private items. However, the lawyer probably knows more than you do about what is important in your matter, from a legal perspective. Your lawyer cannot do as good a job without all relevant facts as can be done with all the relevant facts of your situation. So, if in doubt, you should tell your lawyer what the situation is, even if some of the facts are embarrassing, and even if you are not sure whether or not they will have anything legally to do with the outcome of your matter. Surprise can be a huge problem in a court situation, and you do not want your lawyer to be surprised!