If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where finding a lawyer is a matter of urgency and you’ve decided on one of the first attorneys you came across, only to question their ability later on down the line? Then you aren’t alone, every year, thousands of people find themselves with an inexperienced lawyer or someone that doesn’t seem to care about their job anymore. This isn’t always the case, however, and you will often find yourself with a brilliant attorney.
Make sure you do some research first and make sure you understand the tell-tale signs of what makes a good competent lawyer.
Communication
This is a staple in all aspects of life, but especially in the realm of law, if you’ve found a lawyer that will keep you updated on everything he is doing and how the case is developing then more often than not you have found somebody that takes their work seriously and will work hard to win your case. Not only that, but you are more than likely going to have some questions about what’s going on, being able to answer all questions asked is another good sign you’ve hired a decent lawyer.
Listening
Being able to communicate is one thing, but being able to communicate the right information is absolutely essential to building not only trust between lawyer and client but a successful case. Being able to sit and listen to a client is a trait every successful lawyer has as it means they’re taking the time to fully understand your case and how it has affected you, better knowledge gives a better chance of a winning case. If you feel like you’ve found someone that’s not taking the time to listen or you want some more information about why it’s so important then visit this site, being able to boast many successful cases and equally as many testimonials is a good way to show how communication and listening are the foundations of any successful lawsuit.
Optimism
Whilst it’s good to be optimistic about your situation, being overly optimistic is bad from a lawyer’s point of view as it’s giving you a view that you are guaranteed to win no matter what. Any decent lawyers will be cautiously optimistic, this will give you faith that they have the ability to win, but will also keep your feet on the ground in the unfortunate situation where things don’t go your way. A good lawyer will understand that throughout the legal proceedings anything can happen, nothing is guaranteed, for this reason a few options should be presented to avoid any unexpected twists and turns.
Honest about money
A difficult one to talk about, for many, but essential for all. Money makes the world go round and we often find ourselves in a situation where hidden costs have made it impossible for us to pay, this should not be the case when it comes to hiring a lawyer. A good lawyer will tell you everything you need to pay upfront and be honest about anything that might be added on throughout the legal proceedings, in most cases, it’s impossible to predict exactly how much things are going to cost as the reaction from the opposing party isn’t guaranteed. So a range of prices should be given to anyone entering into a legal battle so they are aware of how much it could end up costing, finding yourself at the end of a case with no money can leave you with very little.
Punctual
Something that everyone should strive towards is being punctual, and that’s most certainly the case with your lawyer. Being on time for every meeting you have is essential and being prepared even more so lawyers have busy schedules and should keep to them so as long as they are punctual you shouldn’t have a problem. Turning up on time to a court date won’t give you any advantages, but being late to a court date will certainly put you at a disadvantage, a judge will not be impressed with anyone that can’t turn up on time.
Hiring a decent and competent lawyer should be an easy process and is for many people, but if you’ve found yourself in a situation where you don’t think they are pulling their weight then don’t worry, it’s not too late. Most law firms operate on a no win no fee basis, so unless you’ve signed a legally binding document you should be able to find another. Remember to do your research before entering into any contracts, check their testimonials, and see if they have a list of their work ethics. Having a professional website that’s easy to navigate is a good start and if you find a company you believe to be good, take a meeting with one of their lawyers first and see how they are. If they’re on time and willing to sit and listen to your case for as long as it takes then you’re most likely onto someone that’s going to represent you well. Make sure they’re calm and honest about everything that’s going to be involved and ask how they will keep you informed as the case unfolds. There are so many decent law firms out there, don’t do yourself an injustice by hiring the first person you meet with because you think you’re in a rush, there’s time to make sure you’re represented well.
