Choosing the right lawyer can make all the difference in your case. Take advantage of our criminal lawyer consultation over the phone to decide if our experts are a good fit for you.
Choosing the Right Attorney
Before your consultation, you need to find a criminal lawyer that you think will be a good fit for you. Look for an attorney who focuses their practice on your type of legal question. Your local bar association probably has a referral program that you can utilize. You can also get referrals from family and friends.
Research the Candidates
Once you have two or three good candidates, do some research on them. Read reviews and testimonials. Look at their past cases and get an idea of their experience. During your criminal lawyer consultation, you will get a feel for the lawyer. You won’t get much legal advice during this meeting because it’s not meant to resolve your case. However, you will have time to ask questions and get familiar with the attorney. You can ask about how long they have been practicing, how much experience they have with this type of case and what the average verdict the lawyer has obtained with your type of case.
[Related: Best Criminal Defense Attorney]Make a Plan
During your criminal lawyer consultation, it is important to ask the lawyer how he/she will proceed with your case. What is the legal strategy and what outcome does he expect? You should also ask how long the attorney expects the whole process to take. Ask for details on which procedures you should expect, discuss legal strategies, and find out if your attorney thinks mediation, arbitration, or settling are options. Make sure that the attorney’s strategies line up with your needs. You should both have the same goal.
Working with the Attorney
An equally important aspect of choosing the best criminal lawyer is finding out how the firm will handle your case. With large firms, other attorneys will work on the case too. Meaning the person you meet won’t be the one doing the casework. Most attorneys have paralegals or legal assistants to handle most of the scheduling and paperwork. So, you will want to know who you should contact about your case.
Also, be sure to find out how often you can expect to hear from the attorney regarding your case. What happens if you have legal questions? How soon will the lawyer respond to you? Lastly, how does the office feel? Are you comfortable? Do you trust the attorney? Is the staff friendly and knowledgeable? If you don’t feel at ease in the office, you shouldn’t hire that attorney. Keep searching.
[Related: Federal Sentencing Guidelines]Money Money Money
This is an important component. Legal fees are complex so get details during your initial consultation. Understand the rates and retainer fee the attorney requires. Don’t forget to ask about court fees that are charged in addition to the attorney’s rates. Also, ask what you can do to help cut down costs. Example, providing documentation in your case will prevent the paralegal from having to hunt it down.
Criminal Lawyer Consultation
An initial consultation doesn’t normally provide you with a chance to get in depth legal advice. However, it is a great opportunity to get a feel for the lawyer and the office and find out if the attorney will be a good fit for your case. Joseph King’s results for his clients has earned him the distinction as one of America’s Best Lawyers. If you are searching for a criminal defense lawyer, contact King Campbell Poretz Mitchell today to schedule your over the phone consultation!