Lawyers often get a bad reputation in the media. This is because although there are many good lawyers that embody fair play and the right for everyone to have good legal representation, there are also a few bad lawyers that do not have their clients’ best interests at heart. Here are a few tips to help ensure you find a lawyer that cares and has YOUR best interests at heart.
Friends and family
A good start is often to ask friends and family. They can often tell you about who they used and whether or not they were satisfied with the service they received. However, this shouldn’t be your only resource – if more than one person recommends a lawyer then the chances are they offer the quality you need (although with any service it is recommended you don’t just go by the first name you find!)
Online reviews
Online reviews are potentially problematic – as you need to consider the source. The sad fact is someone who got a positive verdict is more likely to like their representative than one that didn’t get the outcome they had hoped for. Also, there is the issue of fake reviews – remember to look out for odd sentence structure, as well as any overly positive or negative language.
Qualifications
Does the lawyer specialise in a certain field? If they do, this means they are more likely to have the depth of knowledge and resources your case needs and therefore may be the better option.
Also, some lawyers are members of associations in specialist legal areas. With a lot of these associations, you need a high amount of experience before you can become a member, often this is a good indication of how well trained they are.
Trust your instincts
Hopefully after looking at recommendations, reviews and qualifications you should by now have a few options. At this point you then need to contact the firm.
This is often a good test – do they seem interested? Do they get back to you when they say they will? While this is not necessarily the be all and end all, you have to decide whether or not they are effectively communicating with you and whether you would be comfortable with how quickly they respond.
If you are satisfied by this, then the next step is meeting in person – ideally this should be with the person representing you. The key word here is “representation” essentially this person will be speaking on your behalf so you need to feel you can trust them.
Equally look around their office – is it well organised? Does it seem chaotic or neat? Ultimately you have to decide what and who you are comfortable with!
Contact us
The motto of Larcomes is “Big enough to specialise, small enough to care”. We believe in working closely with all our clients’ and empowering them to make the right choice when looking at the options available to them. If you want to know more about us or want more information regarding a current issue you have please do not hesitate to contact us today!