Withholding important details of your case is truly unwise, and cripples your attorney. Don't confuse this with charm. Some good lawyers have no charm, and vice versa. Make sure your lawyer is happy representing you. And make sure he's getting paid.
Every field is now highly specialized.
You can do a lot to find out how experienced an attorney is. First ask her directly how many cases like yours she has handled. You can ask for references in some cases, although that would be unusual because of confidentiality issues. Ask other lawyers who they think is good. The Martindale Hubbell directory does a brief check on the opinion of fellow attorneys, so you might look up that directory in the local law library.