Alabama Pardon and Expungements BlogNeed to hire a criminal defense lawyer? Here are ten tips on how to make your decision
If you find yourself in need of a criminal defense lawyer, your first inclination might be to hire a lawyer that makes you feel the best and who makes promises or assurances of a particular result or outcome. THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT SELECTING A LAWYER.
In the increasingly competitive legal market, some lawyers will exaggerate their experience or expertise, will make promises, or guarantee results in order to get your money. The most important thing to remember is that any lawyer who makes a guarantee about the outcome of a criminal case is stupid, lying, or both.
When you meet with potential lawyers, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the lawyer make me feel comfortable or does he or she intimidate me?
- Does the lawyer listen to what I am telling them or are they doing most of the talking?
- Does the lawyer ask questions that get to the heart of the matter?
- Is the lawyer taking notes while I am laying out the facts of my case?
- Does the lawyer seem to have a familiarity with the process and tell me what to expect?
- Does the lawyer present a clear strategy for proceeding with my case?
- Does the lawyer present a best and worst case scenario for the outcome of my case?
- Does the lawyer’s fee seem fair in light of his or her experience and the complexity of my case?
- Do I feel more comfortable with my situation when leaving the lawyer’s office than I was when I came in?
- Did the lawyer answer all of my questions and make sure that I didn’t have further questions before I left the office?
Hiring a lawyer may be the most important decision you will make during the course of your criminal case. Make sure that the lawyer you hire isn’t simply trying to use you to collect a fee. At Skier & Associates, we pride ourselves on giving personal, individual service and the very highest level of representation to each and every one of our clients. If you are in need of criminal defense in Central Alabama, call our office for a consultation today.