Representing a client in litigation often involves the attorney being asked to evaluate the client’s likelihood of success and to assign a value to the case. The attorney’s analysis may be relied on by the client in determining how to approach the case, whether to settle or take its chances at trial.

Such assessments are often considered to be an art, not a science. The assessment of a client’s potential liability or likelihood of recovery can involve a multitude of factors, ranging from an analysis of the applicable legal principles to a consideration of the likely composition of the jury. In the end, the attorney’s assessment is generally subjective in weighing the different factors and the strength of each side’s arguments.