What type of Lawyer do I need?

To be as clear as possible you need a lawyer that is willing to get to know you and your case back to front. You don't need a solicitors that is often seen in the media to obtain a good result, these solicitors quite often run practices that delegate and overload their employee solicitors with work and charge higher fees. 

The best way to choose a lawyer is to meet them in person and find one fits your values. Choosing a lawyer with experience is vital but it is more important that your lawyer has time for you and your matter. There is nothing worse as a client than having a lawyer who is too busy to speak to you. These lawyers are usually overloaded with work to the point that the quality of their work can suffer. 

The best lawyer on the day is undoubtably the one that knows the case back to front. There is danger in engaging a lawyer that is managing  50+ clients. 

How do you choose a lawyer then? The best answer I can give you is to look around and talk to lawyers. Get a feel for their current work load and choose them because you feel comfortable with them and trust them. Do not use fees as the sole estimator of quality, we all studied the same legal course and while some are more naturally gifted and some more experienced than others, a good legal representation is based on preparation before the court date.

If you feel your lawyer does not have the time to help you through the process there is a good chance they do not have the time and you should find a lawyer that does. 

You should also be wary of lawyers that make promises, Courts often come to unfair decisions as the rule of law is designed to apply strictly in most circumstances. Just because something is unfair does not mean you will always escape penalty, especially without putting forward compelling evidence.

Be wary of lawyers that do not seek to tender evidence to back up your claims. This type of supporting evidence is crucial such as employment letters, character letters and expert evidence such as mechanical, psychological and forensic reports. Mere words alone from a slick talking lawyer will not guarantee you a good outcome, ground work on a matter does.