The Four Essential Steps To Hiring A Good Lawyer
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How can you tell when a lawyer’s about to lie? His lips begin to move. Why don’t snakes bite lawyers? Professional courtesy. What do you call 400 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start. You can make cracks about lawyers all you want but when you find yourself in a legal pinch, your lawyer becomes your best friend — your priest, your consigliere. Even when you deem yourself to be a law-abiding citizen or even when your only crimes against the State involve unpaid parking tickets, you’ll want to start looking at lawyers. Because as the saying goes, it is always better to need, than to need and not have. So here are four essential steps to hiring a good lawyer today.
- Figure out what kind of lawyer you might need
Different lawyers practice different types of law; criminal defense lawyers work on crimes, traffic tickets, and expungement (i.e., getting your arrest record removed from official records); estate lawyers work on wills and trusts; bankruptcy lawyers work on debt and bankruptcy; personal injury lawyers work on injury claims; and so on and so forth. Find the right lawyer for your kind of legal bind or need and you are sure to get expert advice and support. - Be sure about credentials and credibility
Whether you’re embroiled in a criminal case or battling a civil suit, you need to be confident about your attorney’s credentials. State bar license. Association or membership with relevant legal organizations. And vast experience with the cases that relate to your legal dilemma. These are things you should be looking for in your lawyer. - Meet with potential lawyers
Never hire a lawyer you have not personally met — unless the lawyer is highly recommended by someone you trust and you have no time to interview attorneys (i.e., you’re in jail or already in court and the judge appoints a criminal defense attorney). You’ll want to make that first appointment so you can discover just how well the lawyer communicates. Does he clearly explain all your legal options to you? Are you comfortable around the lawyer? Does he take time to listen? You’ll also want to ask all the right questions, so come in prepared with a list — just so you don’t forget anything. - Be aware of fees
Finally, always come away from your first lawyer consultation with a clear and definite understanding of his fees. This does not just refer to the amount of the hourly rate or the retainer fee. This should also concern how you, as the client, are obligated to pay his bills and what those bills will include.
