You do not know where to find a good lawyer? Think you can not afford to pay? Stop to conventional wisdom: the lawyer is a service provider, subject to competition. Prices are negotiable. Some tips for choosing the right lawyer.
There are several ways to find a lawyer. The bottom line when choosing a lawyer is being able to trust him to defend your interests.
Relying on word of mouth to find a lawyer
You have certainly in your circle of the friends, relatives or colleagues who have already been dealing with a lawyer. If they are happy with their lawyer, they will recommend you. If, however, they do not have good memories, they will advise you to flee. Listen to your surroundings if their lawyer is well enough to manage their affairs and that recommends is that you can trust.
Attention to the disappointed of justice: if your relatives strongly advise against taking a particular lawyer, try to find out why. Does their lawyer was not available enough? Or do they believe that it is the fault of the lawyer if they lost the case?
In the latter case, it is relative: a lawyer is not a magician; he does what he can with the material in the file he has. If, for example, we took him in the act of theft, the lawyer will assist you and defend you to minimize the penalty, but can not guarantee that you will not go to jail!
Where can I find a lawyer?
Check with your local council: a list of registered lawyers in your department is displayed. You can also find the directory of lawyers on the websites of the Bar.
Lawyers are listed by specialty and city. Many lawyers do not have a specialty in this case; do not hesitate to call them to see if they can take your case.
Tips: Prefer the proximity of your lawyer to help you move to his office.
Take it near your home, your office, or at least make sure you can easily go there by public transport.
Attention! If you choose a specialist, the fee will be more expensive because the lawyer to a jurisdiction those other colleagues are not.
Compare the rates for lawyers
Once you have found the number of several lawyers, call them and ask them the price of the first date and a price range to handle your case. Feel free to call several lawyers to compare their prices.
If you plan to apply for state assistance to pay your lawyer, indicate to counsel during your phone call: all lawyers are unwilling to defend litigants to legal aid.
Another tips: You can rely on your first impression. Choice of counsel is important: if the first contact is bad, you may have a bad feeling during the whole course of your business, which often take years. Better to ensure that the current flows smoothly from the start!
Legal protection in the insurance contract
Do you have a home insurance? Did you know that many times, you get “legal protection” as part of your insurance policy? Check your insurance policy to see if you qualify for legal protection and in which case it applies.
If you have insurance, contact your insurer, they will offer the services of a lawyer for the insurance company works.
Caution: You are not required to take the lawyer chosen by your insurer, you can choose your own lawyer and the insurance company will pay your lawyer the price stipulated in your contract.
Assigned Counsel and appointed by the court
If you earn less than €1,393 per month, you are entitled to assistance from the State to pay your attorney’s fees, regardless of your dispute. In this case, you can ask for help, before choosing your lawyer: the Legal Aid Office will assign an attorney, unless you have found yourself a lawyer who agrees to defend yourself with legal aid.
If you are sued by a criminal court, you have the right to request a court-appointed lawyer: attention-appointed does not mean free. The judge will ask the president of the bar association of you appoint a lawyer. If your income is less than €929 per month, your lawyer will be paid by the state. Beyond that, you will be asked to pay a fee.