(Newswire.net — May 30, 2018) — If you need a defense attorney for an upcoming lawsuit, it is essential to carefully choose the best person for the job, such as William Hanlon Tampa Criminal Lawyer. This is because without proper legal assistance, your case could easily fall through the cracks, causing a denial of justice. The following mistakes should be avoided when hiring a defense attorney:
Hiring a Lawyer who Promises a Specific Outcome
An attorney may tell you that he or she is positive your case will be dismissed, you won’t be charged, or that you are guaranteed to win. Any lawyer who tells you this is not being honest and you should immediately move on to the next law firm on your list. No lawyer can see into the future, and because all criminal allegations are serious, you should never trust anyone who guarantees a particular outcome.
Price Shopping
Hiring the least expensive lawyer on your list is not a good idea. Sometimes lawyers who charge very low fees do so because their performance is lackluster. Similarly, hiring the most expensive attorney does not guarantee the desired outcome. Rather, try to choose a lawyer whose fees are reasonable, but who has a good track record with your specific type of case.
Hiring a Lawyer Based on the Firm’s Website
Because most people use the Internet to search for an attorney, it is not uncommon for a person to be dazzled with a website and make a snap decision based on graphics and fancy wording. However, hiring an attorney merely because his or her website looks slick is never a good idea. Graphics are created by a web designer, and the latter will not be trying your case. Therefore, basing your decision on the lawyer’s website is not much different from picking up the phone book and choosing a firm at random. Instead, you should ask for the lawyer’s past results with your type of case.
Hiring an Attorney Who Claims to Be Friends With the Prosecutor
Hire a lawyer with the appropriate skills and experience, not one who claims he or she can get you a “deal” based on a friendship with the prosecutor. Not only is this an unethical approach, it often backfires: the prosecutor having a friendship with your lawyer may result in your lawyer being pressured to convince you to take a deal you do not want merely to help the prosecutor close the case. If an attorney makes such a statement to you, that individual should be crossed off your list.
Hiring a Lawyer With Whom You Do Not Feel Comfortable
Lawyers are required to behave in an ethical manner and adhere to the code of ethics to which they are bound. Nevertheless, there are always a few unethical attorneys out there who do not live up to this standard. Therefore, if you do not feel comfortable with a particular law firm or attorney, choose another criminal lawyer, rather than find yourself in the middle of a costly mistake at some point in the future.
Avoid Attorneys Who Advertise They Were Former Prosecutors
Being a prosecutor teaches attorneys some excellent skills and is a good way to acquire trial experience in a short length of time. In fact, some of the most efficient criminal defense lawyers began as prosecutors. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with hiring a former prosecutor, but it is wise to beware of lawyers who make a point of advertising this fact. This is because it infers that they are somehow privy to secret information unknown to anyone else, and this is not the case.
Regardless of why you need a defense attorney, you should never make a decision in haste. Rather, carefully review all your options, as your attorney’s skills will greatly impact the outcome of your case.