By: Kim Hemphry
About the Author:
Kim Hemphry is a passionate expert in the areas of Legal Matters, learning and education. She has been featured on over 50 leading Legal and education sites and is a modern thought leader in the field. More about her interests and articles on her site.
The decision to hire a solicitor can be daunting. If you are in the process of hiring one, then there are many things that you should look for. A good solicitor will be able to help your case and ensure that you get the best possible outcome. This blog post outlines 10 essential factors to keep when hiring a solicitor for your needs.
1) Experience
Experience in this case means how long they have been working with cases like yours. For example, if you are looking at personal injury solicitors, then you would want one that has worked on such cases before. This will mean that they understand the ins and outs of such cases, and they can guide you along with your case.
2) Communication
You should look at their communication skills. Do they communicate effectively? Can you understand them easily? If your solicitor keeps mumbling and using difficult jargon, then this is not someone that you can be guaranteed of having a good working relationship with. Good solicitors are easy to talk with and actually care about what you have to say.
3) Availability
You need to make sure that your solicitor is available when you want them. Your solicitor needs to work around you as much as possible. This is especially important if the case has already started or nears trial dates. The last thing that you would want in such an instance is for your solicitor to be unavailable.
This means that you should make sure that they are available on email and phone at all times, not just while in the office.
4) Knowledge
Your solicitor should have a vast knowledge in their field. This will help them to not only understand the case well, but also be able to communicate it clearly and effectively with you. They need to know all the information about your case from start to finish, so that they can advise you accordingly. If any new developments arrive, then they should be able to deal with them accordingly.
5) Costs
You need to consider the costs of hiring your candidate, especially if you are working with a limited budget or specific price range.. There are many different kinds of solicitors out there, so you will find that some charge more than others for their services. You can look online or speak with friends and colleagues to see which ones they would recommend and compare their prices.
However, remember that as you assess their costs, you need to keep all the other factors above in mind as well.
6) Location
You need to consider the location of your solicitor. You should pick one that is close to you or in an area convenient for you. For instance if you live in Tweed Heads, starting your online search with the phrase solicitors tweed heads would be a good idea. If they are located too far away, then it may be difficult for them to meet with you and communicate effectively.
7) References
You should ask for references from your solicitor. You can always get in touch with the people they have helped and see how effective their services were as well as if they would recommend them to someone else. This will give you an idea of what kind of person they are and whether or not you want to work with them going forward.
8) Case History
Looking at the case history of your solicitor will help you get someone with a good track record and success rate in cases similar to yours. You can also see whether or not they are listed on any kind of legal register, which could be an indication if their results were positive or negative.
9) Character
Among other things, you should trust that they will be able to handle your case well and keep any personal information between yourself and them confidential if necessary. The last thing you would want is for their personality conflicts with yours, as this could end up making things very difficult for you. It is also important to find someone with whom you can be comfortable around, and who does not intimidate you in any way.
10) Commitment
You should look for someone who is committed to your case. This means that they are willing to put in the time and effort required, as well as communicate with you throughout this process. You do not want a solicitor that will bail on you or drop the ball halfway through because something more interesting came up.
In summary, you should make sure that your solicitor is available, has a vast knowledge in their field of practice, is cost-effective, is located conveniently for you and has an excellent case history. You should also make sure to assess whether or not they are trustworthy and good with clients when it comes to character and commitment.