There are many criminal defence solicitors.
All promise to offer you the best services for the best rates.
However, finding the right criminal defence solicitor involves more than settling for the lowest rates or the most famous.
There are various factors that ought to be considered when selecting a solicitor.
Care and much consideration must be taken.
After all, your future or the future of the person for whom you are hiring a solicitor hangs on this important decision.
If you find the wrong solicitor you are more than likely to get undesirable results.
The first factor to consider is the area of specialisation.
Get a criminal defence solicitor that specialises in criminal cases similar to yours.
Many solicitors concentrate on a particular area of defence such as rape, robbery with violence etc.
These solicitors may also handle other cases but primarily focus on these areas of specialisation.
It may be difficult to find a criminal defence lawyer who specialises in a single area of crime.
It is therefore important to check the background of the practice and find out if they have handled similar cases before.
One of the best ways to find a solicitor is through personal references.
Ask your family members or friends if they can refer you to a criminal defence solicitor.
Ask the people referring you about the background of and their services.
Don't hire them simply because they are related to you.
Hire them for their good record and knowledge.
Search online for solicitors in your area.
Read about the cases they have handled and their experience in criminal law.
Find out about their background education and their services.
If you are satisfied with the information you have gathered, you can go ahead and arrange for an appointment.
A face to face meeting with the criminal defence solicitor will provide you with a lot of information on which you can base your decision.
How does the staff treat you? Are they respectful and helpful? The staff in an office will give you a general idea of what type of service to expect.
Be keen to watch how the solicitor treats his or her staff.
If they are respectful of their staff, you can be sure that they will be respectful towards you too.
Once you are talking to the solicitor, ask him or her questions about their background and experience in criminal law.
Explain your circumstances with as much detail as possible.
Good criminal defence solicitors are willing to listen to you and ask questions so that they can fully understand your case.
A good solicitor will only offer their advice or suggestions once they have gathered all the facts surrounding the case.
Avoid hiring a criminal defence solicitor who is ready to jump to their own conclusions and force their suggestions on you.
The approach used for the case should be left up to your judgment based on the suggestions of the solicitor.