Choosing a lawyer is an important decision, one that could have a substantial impact on your finances and the outcome of your legal matter. If you were hiring someone to work for you, would you take the first person who sent you a resume just because they were first? Probably not, and hiring a lawyer should be approached with the same care. You are hiring a professional to perform a specific function, and you need to know that they are right for you and your circumstances. Finding the right lawyer is made easier by the great amount of information available on the internet, but you should also remember that it is perfectly acceptable to call a lawyer’s office and talk to them about why you should hire them, as opposed to all of the other lawyers in the area. Below are “Three E’s” to help you choose the right lawyer for you.
1) Expertise. It sounds obvious, but you want an attorney who is good at doing what you need them to do. If you need an attorney to defend you against criminal charges, you certainly want one that has expertise in criminal defense. If you need an attorney to represent you when you’ve been wrongfully terminated, you want an attorney with employment law expertise. Expertise is often the product of training and focused experience, so to judge an attorney’s expertise you will want to consider their training, their credentials, their group memberships, and similar indicators of their specific knowledge. This does not mean that a good attorney will necessarily have a single focus, but they will have advanced knowledge which specifically applies to you and the issue you want the attorney to help you with.
2) Experience. The more you perform any task or process, the better at it you are likely to become. The same is true of lawyers. If you have been the victim or discrimination in your workplace, you likely will want an attorney that has handled similar cases, not one who will be learning the law as they prosecute your case. Relevant experience contributes to greater knowledge of the process they will go through on your behalf, greater confidence in the attorney and the case, and the familiarity with similar cases to prepare you for what to expect in your specific case.
3) Ease. A good attorney will be easy for you to work with. What that means for you will depend on your situation. It may mean giving you options for payment, or being available when you need them. It may mean that the staff are friendly, that they speak your language, or that you get to talk to your attorney about your case. It may mean that the attorney’s office is conveniently located to you and to the service you need the attorney to perform. Whatever it means to you, your experience with your attorney will be improved if you consider these factors in advance.
The chances are good that if you think about these factors in advance and make an educated decision about the attorney you are hiring, you will have a better experience and better result in dealing with your legal concern. If you are in Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or anywhere in North Carolina and have questions about hiring a lawyer, or any other legal matter, you may contact the Taibi Kornbluth Law Group directly at contact@taibikornbluth.com.
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