Most people only need to contact a solicitor a few times during their lifetime at the most. That might be to help with the conveyancing on a property purchase or simply making a will.
Other times, you may need a solicitor because you have suffered an injury and want to claim compensation or you are facing criminal charges, going through a divorce or have a problem at work.
Needing a solicitor and choosing the right one for your needs are two separate things.
Here are a few things you need to consider before hiring your legal advice:
Do They Have Expertise?
The first thing, above all else, is to find out about the kind of expertise a solicitor has. Law is a wide ranging profession and includes areas such as probate, conveyancing, personal injury, medical negligence, family law and employment law to name just a few.
Solicitors can often handle all these areas but they may not be totally qualified to do so. You need to ensure that the legal firm you choose has the experienced and qualified staff on site to handle your case. For example, if you are claiming for medical negligence you want a solicitor who has a track record of dealing successfully with such cases. The same goes with buying a property or putting in place a prenuptial agreement.
Local Or National Solicitors
There’s a much wider choice of legal services available nowadays because of the online world. That can make things a lot more confusing for those seeking a solicitor. Where possible, you want to be able to meet with your legal counsellor face to face, so choosing a local firm who knows your area makes sense. With many online services, it’s debatable whether you have access to a fully qualified lawyer or not.
Checking The Solicitor Out
There are various ways that you can do a search to find out if there are any problems with a particular legal firm or individual. The most secure way to do this is to check through the Solicitors Regulation Authority. All you need is to input the name and you’ll get a list of their current record.
The other thing you need to be sure of is that they have the appropriate liability insurance in place. As with any other profession, mistakes can often be made, so a solicitor will need to have cover that will enable them to pay out if they are at fault in any way.
Clear Pricing
The big issue that many clients face is how much all this legal advice is going to cost. Any legal firm should be clear about their fees, including when you are going to have to pay and how much it is going to be.
This can vary depending on the type of legal advice/service being offered. For example, personal injury claims are often handled on a no win no fee basis so you don’t pay anything until the case has been successfully settled. Your legal firm should still, however, be open about what they are going to charge.
At Forster Dean, our head office is based in Widnes and we have offices across the North West, we offer a range of legal advice in areas such as conveyancing, criminal law, professional negligence, personal injury, family and employment law and motoring offences. We have highly qualified, professional solicitors in place who can talk you through your legal issue and help you make the right decisions moving forward.
Contact our professional, friendly team today to find out more.