North Shore Criminal Defense Lawyer

Hiring a North Shore Criminal Defense Lawyer

There are situations that will make you look for a lawyer. At times it can be out of necessity but in some cases, it may not. For instance, when you want to buy a house or when you paying your bills becomes a daunting task, looking for a lawyer may not be mandatory.

However, when you are charged with assault, driving under the influence or any other form of crime, you will have to look for a North Shore criminal defense lawyer. Doing so will ensure that your rights are respected throughout a judicial process. Searching for a lawyer can be challenging as there are many lawyers out there. So, how can you find a reliable lawyer who will meet your needs?

Ask for referrals of North Shore criminal defense lawyers

This is among the best ways to find a good lawyer who will meet your needs. Ask for referrals from people you trust such as your friends, family members, colleagues or neighbours who may have used a lawyer before or know of a good lawyer around.

A personal recommendation is often trustworthy and is in most cases reliable when it comes from a person you trust. However, you may not always find a personal referral and it may be a good idea to consider visiting sites such as lawyers.com or consider consulting the local bar association.

Let the Internet help you find a criminal defense lawyer

You can get a wealth of information about individual lawyers online. For example, the Internet can help you find out about the level of expertise of a particular North Shore criminal defense lawyer, a lawyer’s reputation, a lawyer’s biographical information among other important information.

Check your local newspaper

Local newspaper’s online archives at times have articles regarding cases a certain lawyer has handled. Check such articles for a lawyer who is experienced in the area of criminal law be it drug crimes, traffic offenses, or white-collar crimes.

Contact the lawyer

Contacting a lawyer’s office can help you make your final decision regarding whether or not to hire a certain lawyer especially if a lawyer can’t meet you on short notice. A good lawyer is quite busy and may not be able to meet you when he or she is short on time.

Therefore, contacting the lawyer’s office when you cannot meet him or her in person will help you avoid hiring a lawyer who will not meet your needs. When you call the lawyer, pay close attention to how your call is handled by the lawyer’s staff and if they are not courteous or willing to answer your questions in the best way possible, look for another lawyer.

Look for a lawyer you can comfortably afford

Note that criminal defense lawyers often charge per hour. As an alternative, they might decide to charge a flat fee upfront. Professional conduct rules bar lawyers from charging contingency fees for criminal cases. Due to the fact that different lawyers charge different legal fees, it is good to do some comparison shopping to find a lawyer who charges fees you can comfortably afford.

However, remember that good lawyers mostly charge more for their legal services. And since your reputation and freedom are at stake, you should look for the best lawyer you can afford and not the cheapest lawyer available.

Ask for references

Before hiring a criminal lawyer, ask for references first. Asking for references from the criminal lawyer you want to hire will help you have a rough idea of what to expect when you hire the lawyer. This can help you make a good decision when looking for the right lawyer.

Ask for a law firm’s brochure and a copy of the retainer agreement

Asking for a law firm’s brochure will help you understand a law firm better. A lawyer’s retainer agreement, on the other hand, will help you know the upfront costs involved when getting legal representation from a certain lawyer.

In the end, you need to choose a North Shore criminal defense lawyer you are comfortable with and one who understands your case and can represent you in the best way possible. You will realise that picking a good criminal defense lawyer is worth the effort and the money you spend for legal services.

For help with criminal matters on the North Shore, contact McVeagh Fleming who will be able to advise accordingly.