If you need a lawyer, regardless of the reason, you want an experienced and seasoned professional who will be able to support you to the best capabilities in order to make your case less stressful as possible. However, for a lot of people, the stress starts when they have to find a lawyer.
There is a range of reasons why you would choose one lawyer over the other, but it is important to understand a few key points to ensure you are critically reviewing your options and choosing the one that you think is the best for you.
On the following topics, we will look into a few of those key points so you can better understand what to look for.
References
One of the first things you can do is check for references. Did any of your family members or friends ever need one? If yes, check with them how was their experience. All the time people have a lot to say about a service provided to them, whether it was good or bad, so you will want to hear those reviews and references to see if that professional match your expectations initially.
You may come across pieces of information that are not normally available, such as their personality, which you can assess if it is compatible with yours or not. You may want a more communicative lawyer which will keep you in the loop with every detail, or you may want a lawyer which will only take care of things if you trust them. Always listen to what people have to say.
Do your research
Most law firms and lawyers have their own online space to promote their business, such as a firm website. In there, you might be able to find specializations from the lawyers to see if they match your case. For example, if you are having problems with your boss, you may need to check if your potential lawyers take employees as clients or only employers.
You may also be able to find online reviews of the firm or lawyer with other people’s experiences with the professional in question and how they conduct themselves with clients.
It is important to try to find as many unbiased reviews as possible of the professionals in order to best evaluate if this firm or lawyer is the one for you. There are hundreds of lawyers in Calgary you can look at and consider hiring for your needs, and doing this step of the research is extremely important to understand which firms are highly regarded and which ones to avoid.
Compare Your Choices
It is most likely that after all your research you will still have more than one option and will not be sure of which one to hire. Comparing all candidates may be one way of eliminating a few options and filtering who will best suit your needs with their own set of skills and expertise.
Of course, your case will have its particularities and depending on them you might need different approaches from the professional you are hiring. In this stage also consider your needs, such as if you need a big firm or a small firm. If you are running a business, you might want a bigger law firm to better handle your case as they have more lawyers that can support you. If your case is simpler, a smaller law firm—usually cheaper as well—may better fit your needs, as they are more likely to be able to personalize your experience to try to meet your needs and personality.
Meet the Lawyer
Most law firms and lawyers allow potential clients to schedule a free consultation. This serves both the client, who will be able to evaluate the professional and the lawyer who will assess if they are willing to take the case or not.
At this moment you will also be able to ask the lawyer about your case to clarify any doubts and concerns that you might have before going forward with legal action. Having questions prepared before the meeting and having what you need in a lawyer laid out will greatly help in this stage as it makes it easier for all parties to understand each other and where each other stands. Having a list of things that caught your eye when reviewing them is also considered good practice.
It is essential to pay attention to other aspects besides the technical capacity and expertise of the lawyer. Keep an eye on how the professional is treating you as a person and as a client. Schedule free consultations with as many firms and lawyers as you wish to have more material to compare them so you can make an informed decision.
Have Matching Personalities
Trusting your instincts comes in handy in this stage. Having someone taking care of your case that meets your personality needs and that you can trust is extremely important as you will be spending many hours together going over the case and receiving advice from them.
If on the stage of scheduling free consultations, you didn’t feel this relationship would work with a professional it may be in your best interest to look for another one. You need to feel seen, heard and understood in order to feel comfortable and trust this person with your case and problem.