Hiring a lawyer is critical when suing or defending a civil or criminal case. It enhances your chances of winning or getting a favorable judgment. With that being said, the caliber of attorney you hire also counts. Their ability and output during court hearings will determine your chances of winning or losing a case. The knowledge and experience they’ve accumulated through years of work must come to play in court.

For example, if you sustain injuries through a slip and fall in New York City, you can sue for a premises liability claim. But, you may need to talk to competent and experienced slip and fall lawyers in NYC, to get the deserving claim. How do you get the right person to represent you in court?

Getting the right person to represent you in court can be tricky, especially if it is your first time. We are here to help. As you look out to hire a lawyer, here are some qualities to check.

Years of experience

The law profession is a practical job, the more years in the field, the more knowledge and experience you gain. The experience comes from learning from past proceedings, mistakes, and reading. Through that, they build confidence, and with their familiarity with the court system, can defend their clients well.

So, before you hire a lawyer, check their profile, including, years of experience; and the cases they’ve won, especially those related to yours. This will inform you about their abilities. You can make personal checks or use internet sources to get information on the lawyer you want to hire.

Good Communication skills

One of the basic things to look out for in a lawyer you want to hire is communication skills. And you can know this through how they talk to you and express themselves during phone calls or physical meetings. If they can’t communicate with you well (verbal and written), how can they properly articulate your case in court? Good communication skills are critical when presenting your case or negotiating on your behalf.

Your prospective lawyer should be eloquent and clear in their communication. He/she should be able to talk to you about the case, your chances of winning, the drawbacks if any, and strategies to be employed in your defense. He should also be a great coach in telling you what and what not to say during court proceedings.

Great listening skill

It is very normal for a person seeking justice, redress, or wanting to get out of trouble to talk too much. A good lawyer must listen to such a client in detail and see how best to help the situation. If your potential lawyer complains about you talking too much or makes gestures to suggest so, he/she isn’t fit for you.

You need a person who will listen to you and advise you accordingly and not someone too busy for that. If he/she doesn’t listen to you in detail, how can they come up with an effective defense strategy?

Research skills

A lawyer’s ability to conduct in-depth and effective research is a very important trait. Some cases may rely on precedents to win. Without extensive research, a lawyer may be unable to dig into such cases and gather enough information, to build a strong case for your defense. That aside, he should be able to quote relevant articles to suit your case.

Great analytical skills

Most times, lawyers have to consider several angles of a case to build the best criminal defense strategy to help a client. As such, they need to pay attention to details as they absorb information and analyze it critically. This help in solving even the most difficult scenario effectively, or coming up with better solutions. The lawyer you hire should have such analytical qualities. With it, he/she can use the minutest details to win you a case.

Persistence

Some cases can be very frustrating and tiring and can take several years to end. For example, in some civil cases, the defense lawyer may use several strategies to delay the court process, to frustrate the plaintiff’s team. The same applies to criminal cases where a prosecuting attorney without enough evidence to prosecute a case will pray the court for several adjournments in the name of conducting further investigations. In such situations, you need a lawyer who is resolute and has the client at heart to pursue the case to the fullest. With the help of the internet and reviews, you can check if the lawyer you are about to hire has such qualities.

Conclusion

It may be easy to file a court case, but very difficult to get the right person to defend you. It is best to talk to family and friends for recommendations; or read online reviews when searching for an attorney. That aside, you can make personal visits to law firms closer to you; and by applying the above points, you can get the best lawyer for your case.