The Lawyer Hiring Guide

4708057 When you find yourself wrapped up in legal troubles, hiring the right lawyer for the job is your top priority. Not all lawyers are born equal, and not all lawyers are well-versed in the same areas of of law. You have to pick the right lawyer for your unique case in order to have a satisfactory relationship throughout the pendency of your action.

More importantly, choosing the right lawyer could mean the difference between winning or losing your case! So, this is definitely not an area you want to invest little time in. Do your research, ask questions, and ask others who have hired that lawyer before to find out as much information as you can about the lawyer you are about to hire.

The more research you do ahead of time, the better off you’re going to be and the more likely that you’ll be satisfied with your lawyers’ services. So let’s dive in.
The law is very broad, complex, and requires great attention to detail. The study of law requires lots of time, energy, and concentration by the lawyer. Thus, it is very difficult task to be a ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to law, because there is too much information out there, and we can’t know everything about everything. We’ve all heard that ‘a jack of all trades is a master of none,’ and, naturally, it applies to law as well.

“A jack of all trades is a master of none”

The law is very broad, complex, and requires great attention to detail. The study of law requires lots of time, energy, and concentration by the lawyer. Thus, it is very difficult task to be a ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to law, because there is too much information out there, and we can’t know everything about everything. We’ve all heard that ‘a jack of all trades is a master of none,’ and, naturally, it applies to law as well.

Nevertheless, it is possible to know everything about some narrow area of law. My focus is geared towards Driving Under the Influence law. Why did I pick that, you ask? Because that is where my passion lies. DUIs carry hefty fines (including a significant rise in insurance rates), possible jail time, and, what I think is most important – driver’s license revocation. In today’s day and age, we need our cars to get to work, to the grocery store, to the bank, etc. It is almost impossible to get by in 2014 America without a personal vehicle. The bus is one alternative, but not a very efficient one.

Another reason why I picked DUIs is because it is one of the most complex areas of law to understand and master, and many lawyers do not know how to adequately handle a DUI matter without fumbling through it. Many clients make the mistake of turning to their family law lawyer, or the one who handles all of their speeding tickets to take care of the DUI stop, and that could prove fatal to their case due to that lawyer’s lack of experience with such a complex area of law. Make no mistake, it does not make their lawyer a bad one. It is simply because the lawyer never studied this particular area of law in depth and such a study is essential to adequately represent the client in court on DUI matters.

The initial lawyer-client meeting is really nothing but a reciprocal interview. The lawyer interviews the client to understand their case better and to determine whether the lawyer is the right person for the job, while the client interviews the lawyer to see if this is the kind of lawyer she wants handling her case and can resolve her legal issue.

Here are some questions to keep in mind before you decide to hire him or her or show up to the initial meeting:

Does the lawyer provide a free consultation? If not, how much is the initial consultation?
What does the lawyer charge for the type of case you have? Is there room for negotiation?
Has the lawyer handled similar cases? When was the last time the lawyer handled a similar case?
Does the lawyer focus on a particular area of law, or practices everything across the board?
Has the lawyer been investigated or disciplined before by state licensing authorities? If so, for what?
Have other clients referred this lawyer?
If the lawyer cannot handle your case, can the lawyer provide references to other lawyers?
What should you, the client, bring to the first meeting with the lawyer?
What are the possible outcomes for your case, including estimates of time and cost? (Sometimes general estimates can be provided by an experienced lawyer.)
Who will handle your case as it moves forward? The lawyer you’re meeting with? An associate in the lawyer’s firm? Will you be spending time on the phone with the lawyer’s paralegal most of the time?
What’s the lawyer’s current caseload?
Does the lawyer have other existing commitments?
Will the lawyer have sufficient time to devote to your case?

“Hiring the right lawyer will save you time … and … money”

All of these are questions that you should know the answer to before you hire the lawyer. Failure to ask these questions is the equivalent of kicking yourself in the rear.

Hiring the right lawyer for your case will save you time, energy, and most importantly it will save you money!

For instance, an experienced DUI lawyer may help in the following ways:

Reduce/eliminate jail time;
Eliminate a revoked license;
Reduce the DUI charge to a lesser offense;
Avoid trial with a plea bargain; and/or
Try your case in front of a jury or judge skillfully.

Don’t slack when choosing a lawyer. When it comes to your very important case, it is equally important to make sure your lawyer is the right one for the job. You should thoroughly investigate the lawyer’s background before hiring him or her or paying them anything. This will, again, save you time, energy, and money.

Thanks for reading, and happy hunting.

If you require assistance with a DUI, expungement, traffic ticket, or other criminal charges, please contact me or call me at (502) 931-6788.

Sincerely,

The DUI Guy

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Shad Morris

7 years ago

Thank you so much for all this great information about finding a DUI attorney. One thing that I really liked was that you say to look for people that give you a free consultation. That way, you can see them in person and ask any questions that you may have.

Richard Manson

8 years ago

What a good blog you have here. Please update it more often. This topics is my interest. Thank you. . .

OWI Defense Attorney

Hedley Fulton

9 years ago

It really is so important that you hire a good lawyer whenever you may be having legal troubles. It can take a lot of time to be able to find a good lawyer that you trust, but it will be worth it in the long run. It is amazing how many great lawyers there are out there to help you with whatever case you may have.