Whether you are establishing a business entity, buying or selling real estate or settling a divorce, hiring the right legal team to represent your personal and professional affairs is essential. The scope of your legal needs will determine the kind of lawyer you need to hire. Typically, lawyers concentrate their expertise within a specific area of the law, such as criminal law, family law, personal injury law, or employment law.
Consequently, it is imperative to retain a lawyer with the experience and expertise required to handle your legal requirements. Below are a few of the best tips to consider to find a lawyer to fit your needs.
Responsive and Thorough
Depending on your circumstances, you will spend a great deal of time with your lawyer. You need to feel comfortable with your lawyer and confident that your legal matters will be handled to the best of their ability.
Start by setting up an internal meeting. You will learn a great deal about your potential lawyer during your initial meeting. For example, are they detail oriented and responsive to your needs? Be sure to ask the attorney any questions or concerns you may have. Some questions to consider during an initial consultation include:
– Will you be given updates on the status of your case in writing or by phone?
– Will you be permitted to contact your lawyer by phone or email with any of your questions or concerns?
– If you are hiring a legal firm, will your attorney be the main point of contact, or will communications be delegated to another individual (such as a legal assistant)?
Ultimately, you want to hire a legal firm that is attentive and responsive with great communication.
Referrals and Reputation
Just like you would not hire a contractor to remodel your home without seeing examples of their project profiles, you should not hire a lawyer without checking on their track record. The best guarantee you will have an exceptional experience and positive results is to retain an attorney who others have successfully worked with in the past. See if you feel comfortable with their approach to the law and taking care of clients.
If you are in need of a lawyer, a great place to start is asking for referrals from people you trust. Family members, friends, and colleagues will provide real accounts of their experience with a lawyer. Additionally, look online for reviews and client testimonials. This will not only give you a great place to start but also allows you to see firsthand the experience others have had with their legal matters.
Experience and Expertise
While it is imperative to retain an attorney you can trust, it’s equally imperative to hire a lawyer with extensive experience in the area of law for which you require their services. For example, you should you use an attorney with estate planning experience to draft your will or trust, a trial lawyer to defend you in a criminal case, and a divorce attorney to draft divorce papers.
Be sure to ask your potential lawyer what experience they have handling legal matters similar to yours. What was the outcome? While general legal practitioners cover a breadth of legal matters, a lawyer who specialises in your specific legal field will have more positive outcome.
Additionally, be sure to consider how quickly you need your legal matter settled. You are perfectly within your rights to ask potential lawyers how much capacity they currently have to meet your deadlines. It’s important that your potential lawyer is made aware of any urgency to your legal matter so that all of your expectations are met.
At Masoud Law, we leverage our industry knowledge and expertise to help individuals and organizations to protect their interests. Our team of lawyers is well versed in various aspects of local and international laws and will work tirelessly to ensure your personal and professional interests are protected. For more information, contact a member of our legal team.