So you have found yourself in need of a lawyer. Whether you are seeking remuneration, managing a settlement or require defence against an accuser, a representative in a court of law must uphold a level of professionalism and integrity that puts your best case forward.
There is no exact science to sourcing an ideal lawyer because each case comes with a unique set of circumstances. Your own means will range from anything between poor wealthy, and that will ultimately be the decisive factor. Yet there are a few methods anyone can utilise to ensure your lawyer is right for you.
Referrals from Trusted Parties
Undergoing this process goes beyond just trusted friends and family. By all means include them in the process, but do not rely on them to be the sole judge.
There will be community outreach programs for specific types of cases that can assist, including drug rehabilitation clinics and sexual harassment centres that know the best legal aids with a track record on these issues.
Other lawyers can be helpful too, referring those colleagues that know how to win and what is required in court.
Interview Candidates
For those that will extend you the courtesy of taking a free consultation, and should you not be under immediate time pressure, talking to different candidates is a smart course of action.
Press these individuals about their practice. How much do they cost? What cases have they won? What have they lost? How long have they been practising? and where did they acquire their degree from? How familiar are they with your type of problem?
Lawyers will always come attached with fees but should they agree to pitch to you their credentials, then it is best to discover as much about them as humanly possible.
Consult a Directory
Regardless of where you are in the world, there are a multitude of directories to source a great lawyer. Much in the same vein as the shared economy, barristers will list their services, credentials and contact information online.
If you have an established association with a firm or University/College institution, by all means take advantage. Those faculties will be well equipped with law professionals and they should have someone to point you in the right direction.
Background Check
This process revolves around credentials and past history. If you are fortunate enough to speak to the source directly, they will inform you about what they achieved, but that should not prevent you from undergoing your own research to cross-reference their work.
Every practising barrister is a bar member and they can be looked up online with peer reviews and references. Barristers who fail their clients should have a record of their malpractice, negating any need for you to discover this after the fact.
Trust in the legal profession is rarely earned and performing your due diligence with a background check is an advised measure.
Speak with a Specialist
Any doctor or GP will be able to identify and treat a common cold. But for those physical deficiencies that require more of a trained eye to identify the ailment, it is best to meet with a specialist on the subject.
That principle also applies to law, with experts studying across a variety of fields from divorce to privacy rights, intellectual property, commercial, trusts, trade, civil litigation, extradition and immigration, estates, banking, custody and hundreds of other categories.
There is every chance your preferred local lawyer won’t specialise specifically in your case and in that instance, it is best to speak with someone who does.