What to look for in a lawyer
Let me start by saying that do-it-yourself advocacy has its limits. Sure, you can draft contracts on your own, you can survive awful negotiations with your business clients, you can settle a marriage dispute between you, but when the need to go to court arises, you need to get a lawyer. Expenses will be incurred, professional fees will have to be paid, and the usually lengthy process will have to be endured. Most of the time, the costs of solving a problem are much greater than the costs of preventing it. Prevention, as they say, is always better than cure. So hire a lawyer and hire a good one.
Ratings
The “practice of law” is loosely defined as serving the legal needs of another person through the application of legal principles and knowledge by a person trained in the law. However, under this definition, a paralegal or even a secretary who is knowledgeable in the law, who has been “trained” by the mere fact of having been employed for a period of time in a law firm, is considered to be practicing law. the legal profession . Therefore, when finding a lawyer, look for a “qualified” lawyer. That is, make sure your attorney has successfully completed their law course, successfully passed bar exams, and is licensed to practice in the same jurisdiction where a particular legal relief is sought. When you are faced with a legal dispute, the last thing you need is a fake lawyer. It is perfectly ethical to ask for a lawyer’s license before you even start sharing your innermost secrets with them. However, they would normally hang their certifications on the wall.
expertise
Each qualified attorney has their own experience. He may be an expert in any of the following categories of law: international law, labor law, civil law, tax law, litigation or criminal law. These are the main categories. Therefore, you may hear of a trial attorney or an immigration attorney. Keep in mind, however, that lawyers’ specializations are “acquired” through experience, not simply because they think they are good at it.
Personal qualities
This is one aspect of the legal profession in which a young and inexperienced lawyer can get ahead of an experienced one. Young lawyers are often vibrant, supportive and understanding. They tend to treat their customers like their babies. They take care of every little detail, even the unimportant ones. But this is exactly how paying customers want to be treated. Clients tend to feel that they are getting their money’s worth from the type of care they receive.
The personal qualities you should look for in a lawyer largely depend on the type of client you are. If you are the serious type, you may prefer to hire an older, retired lawyer. These types of lawyers are less interested in what you have to say. Sometimes they are not even interested in what they have to say. Being a lawyer has become a routine for them, like brushing their teeth in the morning. But his experience is impeccable. His strategies are tried and tested, so your chance of winning your case is considerably high if you get them.
Credibility
The credibility of a lawyer can be seen in various contexts. It can mean lack of bad reputation. You can build on charisma along with references from previous satisfied customers. It can be destroyed by the lawyer himself, as when he gives legal advice and revokes his own legal opinion without dampening the effects. Surely no lawyer can get clients if he is not credible and trustworthy.
Availability
So now you have a qualified, knowledgeable and credible lawyer with the personal qualities you are looking for. The next thing to consider is whether that lawyer is available to handle your problem. Most of the time, your attorney will say that they are willing, able, and happy to help you. Lo and behold, he said the same thing to several others this morning, and last week, and the week before. The point is that a lawyer can’t do much. He cannot be attending the hearings at the same time. You would probably resort to canceling or rescheduling important hearings and meetings to make ends meet. If your chosen lawyer has a law firm, there are bound to be other lawyers who can serve you in case you are not available. You will find this acceptable, but not until your case has been reassigned from one hand to another.
Professionalism
Having a “professional” lawyer is very different than having a lawyer who managed to “look” professional. They say that the legal profession is 80% representation. The representation begins when you meet your client for the first time. A lawyer would normally give him the “lawyer look”—he wears a clean cut suit, drives a black luxury car, and brings a suitcase. This, however, is not what defines professionalism. Professionalism means that your attorney attends to your needs, investigates, exceeds deadlines, and returns your phone calls. So don’t be fooled by the lawyer-see alone. However, it would be great if your lawyer can pull it off with the lawyer look and genuine professionalism.