Let me start by saying that do-it-yourself lawyering has its limits. Surely, you can draft contracts on your own, you can survive gruesome negotiations with your business clients, you can settle a marital dispute among yourselves but when the necessity to come quickly to court arises, you have to get a lawyer. Expenses will undoubtedly be incurred, professional fees must be paid and the usually lengthy process must be endured. More frequently than not, the expenses of resolving a problem are far more than the expenses of avoiding the problem. Prevention, as they say, is always much better than cure. So hire a lawyer and hire a great one.
Qualifications
The "practice of law" is loosely defined as ministering to the legal needs of another individual by the application form of legal principles and knowledge by a person trained in the law. By this definition however, a paralegal or even a secretary who has understanding of the laws, who has been "trained" by the sheer fact of getting been employed for a period of time in a law firm, is recognized as engaged in the practice of law. When locating a lawyer therefore, choose a "qualified" lawyer. Meaning, make sure that your lawyer has successfully completed his law course, has successfully passed the bar examinations and is licensed to rehearse in the very jurisdiction where a particular legal relief is asked for. When facing a legal dispute, the final thing you will need is a bogus lawyer. It is perfectly ethical to require a lawyer license before you even begin to share your innermost secrets with them. Normally though, they'd hang their certifications on the wall.
Expertise
Every qualified lawyer has his own expertise. He may be an expert in just about any one of the following types of law: international law, labor law, civil law, taxation law, litigation, or criminal law. They are the major categories. Thus, you could hear of a litigation lawyer or an immigration lawyer. Note however, that lawyers' specializations are "acquired" through experience, not simply because they think they're great at it.
Personal Qualities
That is one aspect of lawyering where a young, inexperienced lawyer can in fact get in front of an experienced one. Young lawyers are often vibrant, supportive and sympathetic. They tend to take care of their clients like their babies. They look after every little detail, even the unimportant ones. But this exactly is how paying clients want to be treated. Clients tend to feel that they're getting their money's worth with the type of attention they're getting.
The private qualities to find in a lawyer depend greatly on the type of client you are. If you should be the no-nonsense type, you could would rather hire an older, retirable lawyer. These kinds of lawyer are less enthusiastic about what you have to say. Sometimes, they're not enthusiastic about what they've to say. Lawyering has become a routine for them, much like brushing their teeth in the morning. But their experience is impeccable. Their strategies are tried and tested which means that your chance at winning your case is considerably high if you obtain them.
Credibility
The credibility of a lawyer may be seen in many contexts. It can indicate lack of a bad reputation. It could be built on charisma along with referrals from past satisfied clients. It could be destroyed by the lawyer himself, as when he gives a legal services and overturns his own legal opinion without cushioning the effects. To be certain, no lawyer can ever get clients if he's not believable and trustworthy.
Availability
So you now have a qualified, expert and credible lawyer having the private qualities you look for. The following thing to consider is whether that lawyer is available to go to to your problem. More frequently than not, your lawyer will say he is willing, able and happy to aid you. Behold, he said a similar thing to many others today, and a week ago, and the week before that. The purpose is, a lawyer can only just do this much. He can't be attending hearings all at the exact same time. He may possibly resort to cancelling or rescheduling hearings and important meetings to create ends meet. If your chosen lawyer has a law firm, there will certainly be other lawyers who is able to attend for your requirements just in case he's not available. You will see this acceptable however not until your case has been reassigned from hand to another.
Professionalism
Having a "professional" lawyer is indeed much distinctive from a having a lawyer who were able to "appear" professional. They claim that lawyering is 80% representation. The representation begins when you first meet your client. A lawyer would normally give you the "lawyer look"--- wears a suit, clean-cut, drives a dark luxury car, and brings a suit case. This, however, is not what defines professionalism. Professionalism means your lawyer does attend to your requirements, makes his research, beats the deadlines, and returns your phone calls. So do not be fooled by the lawyer-look alone. It could be great if your lawyer can pull it off with the lawyer look and the genuine professionalism though.
