Everyone can benefit from having a lawyer who can guide them through complicated and difficult legal situations. Whether it’s by helping people draft a will and plan their estate, obtain fair compensation in a personal injury case, or protect them against criminal charges — legal professionals are extremely valuable. However, not all lawyers are made equal. Some of them are more equipped to handle your needs than others.
Finding a great lawyer is essential to getting the best possible outcome for your case, which is why you have to make sure that you hire the right person for the job. But what exactly makes a great lawyer? Besides searching for those who specialize in your specific case, there are certain attributes that make exceptional legal professionals stand out from the crowd.
Here are the key qualities that you should look for to find the best lawyer for your needs.
Strategic
During your preliminary interviews with potential candidates, you should be able to see how they diagnose the problems at hand and come up with creative solutions to resolve them. This will give you an idea of how they work, and if their approach is acceptable for you.
They should be able to anticipate every stage of the case and communicate what exactly is needed and how much you’ll expect to spend per step. They may suggest things like hiring court reporters to get a thorough record of a testimony to review or stay off social media to maximize personal injury compensation.
Experienced
The most essential requirement for a great lawyer is a wealth of experience. Ideally, they should have received their education from a reputable law school and must have a string of successful cases under their belt. Take note though that there is a difference between cases handled and cases won. You want a lawyer with a high success rate of cases that aren’t just resolved through a plea bargain.
Honesty
Your lawyer should be upfront and truthful about what they can do for you and what might not be feasible. It’s important that they manage your expectations so that you don’t get your hopes up. Being realistic about your options means you and your lawyer can focus on what matters most. Some lawyers seem to promise you everything, but in the end, fail to deliver. So, you need to be discerning about whether your lawyer has plenty of honesty and integrity going forward with the case.
Availability
The more time you have to spend with your lawyer, the more money you have to spend on them. You don’t want a lawyer who ignores your calls, forwards all communication to their personal assistant, is constantly on vacation, and never has time for face-to-face consultations. A good lawyer is one that won’t waste your time or money by being readily available to handle your case and give it the attention it deserves.
Friendly
You’ll be spending a lot of time with your lawyer as they gather more information about your case from you. You need to feel comfortable enough with them to be able to do this, so it’s important that you find a lawyer that you have a good rapport with.
Affordable
Hiring a lawyer can be incredibly costly, especially since most of them charge by the hour. They may even charge you for your preliminary interview. Although there are also some lawyers who give clients the opportunity to pay a contingency fee instead, which means that they only get paid if they win the case, and their fee depends on how much you receive from the settlement.
Be open to discussing costs with your lawyer during your initial interview. Make sure that you get an exact breakdown of all the fees that you should expect to shoulder throughout the process.
Organized
When meeting a prospective lawyer in their office, take note of how they present information to you, how they present themselves, and how neat their office is. If they appear unkempt and if they’re unable to communicate their thoughts to you in an efficient and structured manner, this may be a sign that you need to look elsewhere.
Passionate
You need a lawyer who has perseverance. They should be relentless and ready to fight for you no matter what. Some cases may take months, even years, to conclude, and a lesser lawyer may give up or lose interest in your case. On the other hand, a passionate lawyer will stay by your side until the very end and will remain aggressive in their pursuit to give you the best results possible.
It pays to do your due diligence when shopping for the right lawyer for you. These top attributes will help guide you towards finding a competent and capable lawyer.