When dealing with defending yourself in court after an arrest, some people may opt to go with a public defender while others with more resources may decide to hire a private attorney. If you are going with the latter then here are a few tips to finding one that will work best for you are your needs.
Find a specialist if needed
If someone is facing something like financial crimes then a standard criminal lawyer may be doing them a disservice because when you get someone who specializes in financial crimes then they have a more in-depth understanding of the particular laws relevant to your case which may mean the difference between an innocent or guilty verdict.
Find a lawyer that you trust and respect
As with many facets of life, there will be times when you meet people and you will just not get along. It is vital that the lawyer that you hire is someone you feel comfortable with essentially putting your life in their hands. You not only want to make sure that they are competent but also trustworthy so that you have complete confidence going into a trial or hearing.
Find a lawyer who prioritizes your case
If you decide to go with a lawyer from a large firm it is important to ask them what their workload is like. If they already have several clients and they are balancing several cases it means that they can’t make yours a priority. When going with a smaller lawyer it could mean that they have more time to devote to your case. While it is important to note that it is unfair to assume that any lawyer will work on nothing but your particular case, it is still reasonable to ask that it still takes some type of priority.
Find a lawyer who is transparent in charging
There would be nothing worse than finally overcoming the hurdles of a trial and dealing with the fees of the courts only to get a surprise lawyer bill that is far higher than what you were expecting. It’s no secret that hiring an attorney will be expensive but you want to make sure you hire an ethical one who lets you know upfront what the charges will be and is willing to work within your budget. You also want to make sure that they are ethical and not billing for hours that were not dedicated to your case.
To sum up, when looking for a lawyer you really want to find someone who will best serve and represent you and above all, go with your gut instinct and find one that feels comfortable for you.
