If life’s taken a turn for the worse and you’re facing criminal charges or have already been charged for a DUI, theft or something else, you need the right criminal defense attorney fighting your case. In case you’ve already been charged, focus on getting bailed out, after that, it’s time to look for a criminal lawyer.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re really guilty or not, getting a competent criminal defence lawyer can minimize the damage you’ll get through the courts system and bring a successful conclusion to your case.
Unfortunately, finding the right criminal defence lawyer can be a hectic task. There are over 1.3 million active attorneys in the United States, so which one should you trust your life’s future with? Not every lawyer will be up to the task.
The selection of a criminal defence lawyer should not be taken lightly, so here are some tips on how to select the right Toronto crime lawyer.
The Best Criminal Defence Lawyer For You
Before you start asking around in your network for a reputable lawyer, keep in mind that the ‘best’ criminal lawyer you hear of so often might not be the best choice for you. Yes, you definitely want a competent, licensed criminal defense attorney, but you also want one who’s going to meet your needs.
Be wary of lawyers that make the matter sound more complicated than it really is. The lawyer is supposed to be working for you, and it’s their job to simplify the situation (at least the legal aspects you don’t understand). Look for a lawyer that takes a genuine concern in your predicament, and acts as an honest advisor. One that makes you aware of your options.
Good Lawyers Offer Free Consultations
Good law firms and lawyers provide prospective customers with a free consultation. Since this is a deeply personal industry, you have to get a ‘feel’ for the person you’ll be working with.
Take up this great offer and speak freely with the lawyers. Chances are, even a short meeting will provide you with a fair judgement of whether the lawyer will be a good fit for you or not.
Use this opportunity to not only talk about your situation, but the lawyer’s past experiences and how long they’ve been handling cases similar to yours. If the lawyer seems boastful and seems to be overcompensating by throwing around client references, be wary. Law is a privacy-centric industry, so the lawyer is breaching the ethical code of conduct by mentioning past clients.
Relevant Experience
Just like you don’t go to a pediatrician if you’ve suffered a stroke, you don’t just go to the first lawyer you find in the yellow pages. Not all lawyers are the same, some specialize in personal injury, motorcycle accidents, criminal law and so on.
Making matters a little more complex, criminal lawyers may choose to further specialize in their field.
So for example if you’re facing charges for domestic assault, don’t go to a lawyer who only has experience dealing with clients facing DUI charges. Do you homework, any credible lawyer will have a website where you can get this information from.
Get Familiar with the Team
Let’s be honest, life is far from perfect, and that includes your lawyer’s as well. First off, you can be sure that your lawyer won’t be preparing all the documents of your case. It’s standard practice for legal interns or paralegals to help your lawyer just for that.
Every good defense lawyer has a team backing them up. These are the people you need to be familiar with as well.
And let’s assume a very real scenario, that your lawyer suddenly becomes unavailable due to a family vacation, illness or even death. These are very probable scenarios, and you need to know you’ll be in good hands even the lawyer’s absence.
Every good lawyer has a succession plan in place for worst case scenarios. You are paying a decent amount for your legal representation and you don’t want to be left stranded if your lawyer becomes unavailable. Your future is on the line, and you want as much security as possible for your case.
Ask the lawyer if they have another lawyer who’s going to step in, and if that lawyer is of the same calibre as your own. Meet other members of the team and see how experienced and capable they are.
Testimonials
Don’t ask the lawyer directly for testimonials. If they care about their clients’ privacy, they’re likely not going to disclose those details. What’s more, even if they do, they’ll cherry pick the clients they’re going to show you. In any case, walk away if your lawyer is willing to disclose their clients.
What you should really be doing is asking family, friends and others in your network about the lawyers they’ve worked with, and if they’ve heard about the one you’re looking to work with.
You can also go online to get reviews of the lawyer you’re willing to work with. Google Reviews is an excellent source of information for this.
Fees
It’s natural for attorneys just starting their career to offer low fees. However, do you really want to entrust your future in the hands of an inexperienced lawyer?
Ask for fees and be wary of fees that seem too low or too high. This is why we recommend checking several different lawyers so you can get an idea of how much your case is going to cost on average.
If the fees are too low, the quality of defense you’ll get is probably going to be really poor.
Final Thoughts
If you take into consideration all of the things we’ve mentioned in this post, you’ll be in a much better position to choose the right criminal defense lawyer for your case. These points will not only help you choose someone who’s suited to represent you in the courts, but also someone who won’t be a burden on your wallet.
Choosing a criminal defense lawyer while going through a rough part of your life can be certainly challenging, but careful consideration will certainly not make things worse.
