HOW CAN YOU HIRE A GOOD LAWYER FOR YOUR CASE?
If you ever fall into a situation where you have to get a solution for your problem/issues by using the codified law or through the court of law the first situation that one faces is find a proficient lawyer who can analyze, understand, and come up with the best effective and efficient solution for one/your problem and if you too are stuck in the above mentioned problem, then this is the article that is going to help you out, and hereinafter we will discuss the things to keep in mind while choosing your attorney/lawyer for your case or business.
Who is an advocate?
Not every individual you find roaming around the court premises in black court with a white band tied around their neck is a lawyer and this is a harsh reality that in many situations the person representing himself as an Advocate may not have the requisite license to practice as an advocate and is just a fraudster who extorts money from the needy and then vanishes, so before knowing who is the best advocate for you, it is first important to know who is eligible to be called as an advocate. As per section 2(1)(a) of the Advocates Act, 1961, a legal professional can be called an Advocate and can practice as an Advocate if he/she has been enrolled with the Bar Council of India. So, whenever you visit an advocate for the first time, don’t forget to ask for the enrollment id card issued by the Bar Council of India and if any person representing himself as an advocate does not possess such an Identity proof or enrollment card then you better find a new advocate because he/she may be a fraudster.
Knowing/Analyzing your problem
Before going to an advocate, it is importantfor you to analyze and know your problems/issues well for instance if a person wants to get his/her debts recovered legally or is having issues with his property or has to get a company registered, or has a dispute in the family/wife, or has been arrested regarding an FIR etc. he/she must know clearly what issues one is facing. One the problem/issues has been recognized it makes it is easy for the person to find a relevant lawyer for that problem. For instance, if a person is having a property dispute and he/she goes to a family lawyer there are high chances that he/she might not get an effective remedy for recognizing one’s problem/ issues is of prime importance.
Where to find a Lawyer?
After analyzing the problem/ issues the next task is to find an Advocate, who works in a particular area which is in consonance with your problem and to do that one has various modes but as per general assessment three modes are frequently used and hereinafter, we will discuss all the three exclusively
- By reference- This is very traditional and widely accepted mode of finding a lawyer and under this mode the person who is seeking a lawyer generally takes aid and advice of people who has the prior experience of working with a lawyer or who is contact with a lawyer through some personal relations.
Pros- you have a valuable insight of an experienced person and the accountability can be taken by him/her of the Lawyer he/she has referred to you.
Cons- Every individual does not necessarily will have the same problem and the expertise of a lawyer referred to you may not be adequate for the problems faced by you.
- In Court Complex– Many advocates/lawyers have a place of sitting inside the Court complex or has a office/chamber inside the court, so finding an advocate in court complexes is quite easy as there are a number of option to choose from
Pros- You get a lot of option to choose from in one single place.
Cons- There are a lot of Fraudster roaming around in the looks and form of an advocate inside the Court complex who are always eying a prey for fulfilling their monetary lust.
Negotiating with an advocate inside a court complex can be a tough task
- Searching on the internet- In the world of internet Google has become an effective solution to every problem. Find a lawyer on the internet in your area is just a click away from you as you can effectively search for lawyers on Google Search and you will get a lot of contact details as an option to choose from
Pros- You can effectively choose an advocate from the list of lawyers by looking at the public review and google rating.
Cons- Review and rating on the internet can be manipulated.
How do you know if a Lawyer is good for you?
After finding an advocate/lawyer it is important to judge whether that lawyer/ advocate is good for you or not and do that you should always consider the following things:-
- A good Listener- Always prefer an advocate who gives time to listen to your problem and understands your issues patiently before advising a remedy.
- Welcoming- If your lawyer is not welcoming enough, then after choosing him/her it can be a very terrorizing experience of yours. So, an advocate who is too much burdened with work should not be considered by you as a preference as a first time litigant.
- Multiple Solution- one should always choose a lawyer who can suggest multiple solution for a problem and suggests solution which can also be exercise outside the court
- Experience- Never forget to ask your lawyer about his experience in dealing a particular type of case and how did he/she help his previous clients in getting out of similar situations.
- Easy to Communicate- one should always choose an advocate who is easily reachable. You should always keep a track of your own case and to keep a track of the same you need an advocate/lawyer whom you can communicate to at any reasonable time.
- Keeps you Updated- whenever you go to a lawyer you must know his way of keeping his client updated about the status of their case. If a case is left untraced it may result into its dismissal and can cause you great losses, so finding an advocate who keeps you updated about the status of your case is very important
- Rapport- your lawyer should be a person you can easily get along with and who values you as an individual and doesn’t only treat you as a financial aspect.
- Clear Fee Structure- The professional fees of an advocate is not fixed and is not regulated by any institution so in this case it is important to find an advocate who has a clear fee structure and has no hidden charges.
Apart from all the above, I believe that a person is the best judge of his own situation, one should always go with his gut feeling and basic instinct while choosing an advocate and once you have hired a lawyer for your case then don’t act without aid and advice of your advocate. I will leave you with a famous quote “ Once you have hired a professional mind, then don’t apply your own”