Hiring an attorney can be a pretty daunting task. They can be helpful in numerous areas from representing you in court to negotiating with other legal entities on your behalf and everything in between. Regardless of the specific services you may desire, you should seek out the attorney who best meets your needs.
When selecting your legal counsel, there are many questions to ask to determine the attorney’s qualifications and experience. Read on to discover the key factors to consider before hiring legal representation.
Educational Background
Before anything else, an attorney should have the appropriate education to practice law. Always check the credentials of an attorney before you hire them. Unfortunately, some attorneys either do not possess the proper credentials to practice or “lost” them. You should also find out if they went to a reputable law school and if they have experience handling cases like yours.
Reputable law firms will usually have bio pages for every partner in their firm that detail each person’s education and working background. You should reference this information to ensure that that you’re handing your case to a trustworthy individual.
Trial Experience
Trial experience is probably the most critical factor you need to know about an attorney. If you need a personal injury attorney, it will serve you well to hire someone with a certain amount of experience in the courtroom. In most cases, you don’t want your case in the hands of someone who is just starting out. That isn’t a knock against a lawyer who is fresh out of law school. It’s just a fact that if you are going through a contentious divorce, or a complicated personal injury case, you want someone who knows how to fight for your rights and has experience doing so.
Luckily, most case records are available online. Before you seek out an in-person consultation, do a simple search for reviews from other clients. You should check through news articles to see if any lawyers in the firm were involved in high-profile cases, as that’s usually a good sign. Generally, a well-renowned law firm is also experienced enough to get the most favorable outcome for your case.
Accessibility
You will need and want a dependable attorney. All valuable lawyers have many clients, but you still need them to devote a certain amount of time to your case. You will need to have a lawyer who answers your questions, stays on top of deadlines, and is generally interested in your victory.
A good attorney makes each client feel comfortable. If you’re meeting with a lawyer for the first time, you should get a sense of whether or not they care about your case right away. Successful lawyers answer all your questions, listen to your side of the story, and offer solid advice. If you’re unsure about your current lawyer, remember that it is your right to switch legal counsel any time you please.
Looking for a Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Attorney?
The Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers at Salpeter Gitkin, LLP are seasoned and passionate attorneys. With over decades of combined legal experience, we understand the best practices for seeking a personal injury settlement and have the trial experience to litigate your case if need be.
We make it our responsibility to ensure that you are informed throughout the legal process and make ourselves available to answer any inquiries that may arise on the way. Your search for legal counsel ends here. Contact us today at (954) 467-8622 for a free case evaluation.
