Nobody ever really likes to be in a position to have to find a lawyer but there are definitely times when a good attorney is needed. When those times occur it is good to find a lawyer with certain qualities. Here are a few of the qualities to look for in a lawyer.
- Appearance
Appearance may seem trivial but it really isn’t. The appearance is the first thing that you will notice when meeting someone. If they are shabbily dressed, have on scuffed up shoes and dirty, unkempt hair then the impression that is received will be a negative one as well as a lasting one. Lawyers should be dressed professionally both in and out of the courtroom when they are working. By looking professional people will take them more seriously from the start.
- Record
Unless your choice in lawyers is one straight from school then he should have some sort of track record with the cases he has tried. Ask him about it. Find out what types of cases there were and what his success rate is in settling the issue to his clients’ advantage.
You can even ask him for references from his former clients. Whether or not he will give them to you is iffy but it never hurts to ask.
- Timeliness
A lawyer needs to be able to do things on a schedule. First of all, if he has a meeting with you yet keeps you waiting for an hour he is disrespecting you. Your time is just as important as the lawyer’s time.
Secondly, if he is continuously late to meetings how will you be assured that he will be able to get to court in time? If he is late to the court in time for a hearing or trial then that could influence the judge and/or jury in a negative way that could have extreme effects on the overall outcome of your case.
- Communication
Communication is also very important. If the lawyer can’t let you know what exactly is going on then how will he communicate effectively to get the case handled?
Another aspect of this is in his availability. We all know that attorneys are in and out all day while they are taking care of different things. If you call a lawyer on Monday and then again on Tuesday still with no response and this continues through the week then it is time to find a new lawyer. If an attorney doesn’t have the common decency to keep in touch with his clients or even to find out if they are calling with new information that may be relevant to the case then he doesn’t need to have the case.
Robb MacDonald is a Toronto Criminal Lawyer. Contact Robb for the best gun, gang or weapons lawyer in toronto.