Let me 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 business clients, you are able to settle a marital dispute among yourselves but when the need to come to court arises, you need to get a lawyer. Expenses will soon be incurred, professional fees must be paid and the usually lengthy process must be endured lawyers. More frequently than not, the expenses of resolving an issue are far greater than the expenses of preventing the problem. Prevention, reported by users, is always better than cure. So hire a lawyer and hire an excellent one.
Qualifications
The "practice of law" is loosely defined as ministering to the legal needs of another person by the application of legal principles and knowledge by way of a person been trained in the law. By this definition however, a paralegal or perhaps a secretary who has understanding of the laws, who has been "trained" by the sheer fact of getting been employed for a time frame in a law firm, is known as engaged in the practice of law. When locating a lawyer therefore, look for a "qualified" lawyer. Meaning, be sure that your lawyer has successfully completed his law course, has successfully passed the bar examinations and is licensed to practice in the very jurisdiction the place where a particular legal relief is asked for. When facing a legal dispute, the last thing you will need is a phony lawyer. It is perfectly ethical to look for a lawyer license before you even begin to fairly share your innermost secrets with them. Normally though, they'd hang their certifications on the wall.
Expertise
Every qualified lawyer has his own expertise. He may be an expert in any among the following kinds of law: international law, labor law, civil law, taxation law, litigation, or criminal law. They are the major categories. Thus, you may hear of a litigation lawyer or an immigration lawyer. Note however, that lawyers' specializations are "acquired" through experience, not simply because they think they are great at it.
Personal Qualities
That is one aspect of lawyering the place where a young, inexperienced lawyer can get ahead of a skilled one. Young lawyers are generally 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 wish to be treated. Clients often feel they are getting their money's worth with the type of attention they are getting.
The private qualities to look for in a lawyer depend greatly on the type of client you are. If you should be the no-nonsense type, you may choose to hire an older, retirable lawyer. These types of lawyer are less interested in that which you have to say. Sometimes, they are not even interested in what they've to say. Lawyering has become a routine for them, similar to brushing their teeth in the morning. But their experience is impeccable. Their strategies are tried and tested so your chance at winning your case is considerably high if you get them.
Credibility
The credibility of a lawyer may be seen in a number of contexts. It can mean lack of a bad 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 a legal counsel and overturns his own legal opinion without cushioning the effects. To make sure, no lawyer can ever get clients if he's not believable and trustworthy.
Availability
So you now have a qualified, expert and credible lawyer having the private qualities you look for. The following thing to think about is whether that lawyer can be obtained to wait to your problem. More frequently than not, your lawyer will say that he is willing, able and happy to help you. Behold, he explained the same thing to several others this morning, 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 the same time. He could possibly resort to cancelling or rescheduling hearings and important meetings to make ends meet. If your chosen lawyer features a law firm, there will certainly be other lawyers who will attend to you in case he's not available. You will see this acceptable although not until your case has been reassigned from one hand to another.
Professionalism
Having a "professional" lawyer is so much distinctive from a having a lawyer who managed to "appear" professional. They claim that lawyering is 80% representation. The representation begins when you meet your client. A lawyer would normally give you the "lawyer look"--- wears a suit, clean-cut, drives a dark luxury car, and brings a suit case. This, however, isn't what defines professionalism. Professionalism means that the lawyer does attend to your preferences, makes his research, beats the deadlines, and returns your phone calls. So don't 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.
