Permit me to start with saying that do-it-yourself lawyering has its limits. Surely, you are able to draft contracts all on your own, you are able to survive gruesome negotiations with your company clients, you are able to settle a marital dispute among yourselves however when the requirement to come quickly to court arises, you have to get a lawyer. Expenses is going to be incurred, professional fees will need to be paid and the usually lengthy process will need to be endured. More often than not, the expenses of resolving a problem are far more than the expenses of avoiding the problem. Prevention, as they say, is always a lot better than cure. So hire a lawyer and hire a great one.
Qualifications
The "practice of law" is loosely defined as ministering to the legal needs of someone else by the applying of legal principles and knowledge by way of a person trained in the law. By this definition however, a paralegal or even a secretary who has understanding of the laws, who has been "trained" by the sheer fact of getting been employed for a period of time in a law firm, is considered engaged in the practice of law lawyers When finding a lawyer therefore, look for a "qualified" lawyer. Meaning, make certain that your lawyer has successfully completed his law course, has successfully passed the bar examinations and is licensed to apply in ab muscles jurisdiction where a particular legal relief is asked for. When facing a legal dispute, the last thing you need is an untrue lawyer. It's perfectly ethical to ask for a lawyer license when you even begin to generally share your innermost secrets with them. Normally though, they would hang their certifications on the wall.
Expertise
Every qualified lawyer has their own expertise. He might be a specialist in just about any among the following categories of law: international law, labor law, civil law, taxation law, litigation, or criminal law. They're the major categories. Thus, you might hear of a litigation lawyer or an immigration lawyer. Note however, that lawyers' specializations are "acquired" through experience, not since they think they are great at it.
Personal Qualities
This is one aspect of lawyering where a young, inexperienced lawyer can actually get in front of a skilled one. Young lawyers are often vibrant, supportive and sympathetic. They tend to treat their clients like their babies. They take care of every little detail, even the unimportant ones. But this exactly is how paying clients want to be treated. Clients tend to feel they are getting their money's worth with the type of attention they are getting.
The personal qualities to find in a lawyer depend greatly on the type of client you are. If you are the no-nonsense type, you might prefer to hire an older, retirable lawyer. These kind of lawyer are less interested in what you have to say. Sometimes, they are not really interested in what they've to say. Lawyering has turned into a routine for them, similar to brushing their teeth in the morning. But their experience is impeccable. Their strategies are tried and tested which means that your chance at winning your case is considerably high if you get them.
Credibility
The credibility of a lawyer may be seen in several contexts. It could mean insufficient a negative reputation. It can be built on charisma in conjunction with referrals from past satisfied clients. It can be destroyed by the lawyer himself, as when he provides legal advice and overturns their own legal opinion without cushioning the effects. To be certain, no lawyer can ever get clients if he is not believable and trustworthy.
Availability
So you now have a qualified, expert and credible lawyer having the personal qualities you appear for. The following thing to consider is whether that lawyer can be obtained to go to to your problem. More often than not, your lawyer will say he is willing, able and happy to assist you. Behold, he said the same to many others today, and the other day, and the week before that. The idea is, a lawyer can just only do so much. He can't be attending hearings all at exactly the same time. He could possibly resort to cancelling or rescheduling hearings and important meetings to create ends meet. If your chosen lawyer includes a law firm, there may certainly be other lawyers who will attend to you in the event he is not available. You will discover this acceptable although not until your case has been reassigned in one hand to another.
Professionalism
Having a "professional" lawyer is really much different from a having a lawyer who managed to "appear" professional. They claim that lawyering is 80% representation. The representation begins when you initially meet your client. A lawyer would normally give you the "lawyer look"--- wears a suit, clean-cut, drives a black luxury car, and brings a suit case. This, however, is not what defines professionalism. Professionalism means that the lawyer does attend to your needs, makes his research, beats the deadlines, and returns your phone calls. So do not be fooled by the lawyer-look alone. It would be great if your lawyer can pull it off with the lawyer look and the genuine professionalism though.
