Experience is key: 5 tips for choosing the right criminal lawyer

If you have been involved in an incident that requires a criminal lawyer then it is important to choose the right one for your case. The right solicitor will be able to build a solid defence, comprehend law and legislation relating to your case, efficiently negotiate with the prosecution and represent you to their fullest capability. 

With potentially so much at stake, it’s only natural that you need the best criminal lawyer Perth has available, and you should follow these tips for ensuring you get them:

1. Choose an actual defence lawyer 

This may seem so obvious, but you don’t want to go waltzing into a generalised firm expecting them to be able to handle the intricacies of your case. Always ensure that you are enlisting an actual defence lawyer, and the following reasons will tell you exactly why that is imperative.

“Choosing a defence lawyer for a civil matter, or a tax lawyer for a divorce is akin to choosing a plumber to install your lighting.  The biggest mistake we see clients make is not looking for the right lawyer for their case” said Jennifer Hetherington, specialist divorce lawyer Brisbane.

2. Inquire about their experience 

The right representative will have years of experience in defending clients across Perth. An experienced representative is one who has seen pretty much everything you could throw at a defence attorney, including the laws and legislation relating to your case. 

With this in mind, your potential solicitor should be able to provide you with an example of when they dealt with a similar case or at least one that entailed similar laws and legislation. 

Experience is essential when it comes to criminal law: you don’t want someone who can’t fully grasp the nature, personal importance and legislation regarding your case as this will put you on the immediate back foot. 

3. Can they provide client testimonials? 

Of course, Google reviews are the first place to begin looking for your defence attorney. They go a long way to detailing the firm’s commitment to their client and experience dealing with criminal matters. 

But, upon meeting your prospective legal rep, you should also ask for detailed testimonials that regard the specific lawyer. This way, you will be able to get a more profound idea of whether this attorney has the skills and experience to represent you to the fullest extent of the law. 

4. What approach will they take for your case? 

This relates back to the attorney’s experience, because if they have the skills and experience to provide you with quality legal assistance, then they should be able to at least provide an idea of how they would go about handling your case. 

This is because an experienced defence lawyer should have handled a few scenarios that are similar to yours, and can therefore pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. 

If the rep fumbles over a basic idea of how they would go about dealing with your case, perhaps this means the attorney isn’t right for you. 

5. Will they be the actual lawyer handling your case? 

It just so happens that many law firms will have you meet one of their senior attorneys for the initial consultation only to then unload the work onto one of their less experienced representatives. 

And whilst this may be great for the junior to gain some much-needed experience, your particular case may require someone of a particular experience level to handle the complexities that come with such a scenario. 

Therefore, it’s important to ask if the rep you meet in the initial consultation is going to be your actual representative. If not, you need to start asking the same questions about the destined representative. 

These five tips are important to finding the perfect legal representative - take them with you when choosing your ideal solicitor.