There are many, many criminal lawyers in our fair country. There are probably dozens of them within your area, even in quite small country towns. If you are looking for representation in a criminal case, today we look at the tactics you can use to sort through the variety of lawyers that are available to you, and decide which one will be best placed to take your case.
- Look for professionalism first, friendliness second
I'm not saying that you need to hire a complete hardcase criminal lawyer who treats you like dirt. However, I am saying that you need to consider your lawyer's professional credentials first, and their personality second. You'll be receiving quite a decent bill at the end of the case … you want to give yourself the best chance of winning, not find a new friend. - Interview based on references
Ask around all of your friends and family members, checking whether any of them have any recommendations for lawyers for your case. A personal recommendation should go a long way. Do remember that the same lawyer who helped your sister fight for custody of her children might not be qualified to handle your criminal case, though. - Search on the web
The internet is an excellent way to get access to a lot of information about a particular lawyer, without spending any money on phone calls. Make a shortlist of attorneys in your area, and start narrowing the choices based on:
- Their legal areas of specialty
- The professionalism of their site
- Their published past results - Ask about paralegals and assistants
Look for an attorney that has a staff of assistants and paralegals - there is a lot of legwork involved in some cases for criminal lawyers, and if you must pay full attorney's rates for every one of those hours the bill will grow like a weed. Look for slightly bigger firms that have assistants to reduce your bill, but maintain quality. - Set up a fee schedule
There are many different ways of paying criminal lawyer fees - make sure that your attorney's usual arrangement suits you.
