What are the criteria we take into account when contract a lawyer? Probably the most common answer is the budget; however, before hiring a lawyer or a legal professional criminal defense attorney rockford, it is convenient that we take into account different aspects:
1. Choose a specialized professional: distrust the “todero” lawyer who offers services that range from a food lawsuit to intellectual property proceedings. If you are going to seek the services of a lawyer, try to be specialized in the area of Law specific to your case. Even when you go to a law firm that offers a variety of specialties, make sure you are assigned a lawyer with experience in the subject that you require.
2. Require the professional card number: In Colombia all lawyers must be registered with the Superior Council of the Judiciary, which is the entity in charge of issuing the professional card to practice. If you contact a lawyer who for some reason does not have a professional card, be suspicious.
3. Choose a lawyer with a fixed office: Although it can be a criterion many times that does not indicate anything (since the fact that a lawyer has a good office does not guarantee quality in services), when hiring a lawyer of which we do not have references is better to make sure that it has a domicile or a fixed headquarters where we can go in case of claim or have any inconvenience.
4. Clarify from the beginning rates and means of payment: Clarify before hiring a lawyer what your fees will be, either with a fixed price, with percentage in commission or with an hourly price. Any type of additional expense or extra charges will have to be clarified and specified by the professional (for example if the case requires hiring external professionals such as judicial experts or private investigators, from the beginning it must be clear who will bear these expenses).
5. be wary of advertisements that offer you a “free trial”: Any judicial process or trial involves expenses, so don’t be fooled and distrust when they offer you services at no cost or strangely low prices for the market.
6. Remember that you are the one in charge: If you are not satisfied with the services or care received by your lawyer, you have the right to change both the firm and the professional (so read the contract for the provision of services very carefully before signing anything). If you are dissatisfied with the work of your lawyer, you can file a complaint with the Secretariat of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Sectional Council of the Judiciary of the city where the events originated.
7. The lawyer must constantly inform you about your process: The legal professional is obliged to inform you of the status of your case, what stage of the process you are in and how you are managing your file.
8. Be wary of lawyers who guarantee 100% success: be wary of any lawyer who guarantees a favorable sentence without knowing your case; if so, it is likely or that he uses unethical methods to achieve a ruling in his favor or that it is simply a charlatan.
9. Sign a contract: A serious professional will proceed to sign a service provision contract once you accept his representation; this contract must specify their fees, the services to which the professional undertakes and in some cases the terms and periods of time.
10. Check the background: Before hiring a professional, do a little research on your part (for example, how many cases you have won, if you have experience handling cases such as mine, your reputation, etc.)