When do you Need to Hire a Lawyer?
Do you need a lawyer for that? If you have to ask, the answer is most likely: yes!
While you definitely need to hire a lawyer for drug crimes and felony DUI charges, sometimes knowing when to hire a lawyer is difficult for some people to figure out. While you can represent yourself in some minor legal matters, most legal matters require effective representation which will truly only come with the assistance of a lawyer. Even experienced lawyers will hire another lawyer to represent them for their personal legal troubles.
Why? There is a saying among lawyers that “he who represents himself has a fool for a client.” It’s hard to be objective about the quality of your case when it is personal to you. You may think you have the strongest case in the world because you are emotional about what happened to you and biased about the quality of the evidence you have when in reality there are blindspots you simply cannot see.
The best advice comes from someone experienced in that specific area of law who meets with you to discuss the facts of your case and give you advice and representation accordingly. So here’s our breakdown of what to watch out for when hiring a lawyer in Flagstaff, Arizona!
What to Watch out for When Hiring a Lawyer
One of the main reasons people give for not wanting to hire a lawyer is they want to save money, but what they fail to realize is that more often than not you will end up paying more in the long run without a lawyer. Wondering how to find the right attorney in Flagstaff, Arizona? A quick Google search of “lawyers near me,” is bound to pull up many options both locally and those in other parts of the state who sometimes travel to Northern Arizona to represent clients. When hiring a lawyer, here are some considerations for you in deciding who is the right fit for you and your unique case:
- Does the law firm offer a free case review? Also known as a free initial consultation?
- How does the law firm bill? This often depends on the type of case: criminal defense attorneys typically charge a flat fee, divorce attorneys and slip and fall attorneys often charge an initial retainer then bill by the hour, while slip and fall lawyers or other civil attorneys will charge a percentage of your final judgment if you are the plaintiff.
- Does the law firm and its individual criminal defense attorneys and divorce lawyers have experience and good recommendations from previous clients? You can search the law firm’s website and Google My Business account for reviews.
- When you reach out via phone or a contact form, how quickly does the law firm respond to your initial inquiry? Being busy is a good thing but a law firm should still be responsive to you within 24 hours.
- Does the law firm specialize their practice in the county in which you are charged with a crime or where the lawsuit will take place? Different counties have different rules and operating procedures so it is important to find an attorney who knows the inner workings of that jurisdiction.
Conclusion
Legal troubles can really bring you down personally, professionally, and financially. Legal troubles can touch every aspect of your life and the life of your loved ones. We hire doctors to care for us when we are sick or need surgery, we hire dentists to inspect our teeth when we have a toothache or need a filling, root canal, or other procedure, so why should legal troubles and a pending trial be any different. We need trained professionals to help us navigate foreign procedures we don’t have the requisite training and experience to handle, relieve the stress of doing it ourselves, and help us get the best possible outcome.
There are plenty of attorneys in Flagstaff AZ to choose from, but it’s all about finding the attorney you trust the most to represent you during what is often the most stressful and emotional time in your life. Whether you are looking for an Arizona slip and fall attorney, a divorce attorney, or a criminal defense attorney, Antol & Sherman, P.C. is the local go-to for legal representation in Northern Arizona. If you’ve been charged with DUI, whether it’s your first DUI, second, or worse, contact a lawyer about your case.
Click here to see how a felony and misdemeanor differ.