It’s not always easy to tell the difference between good lawyers and bad ones, but if you get plenty of references, your attorney has a strong history of wins in cases like yours, he is quick to reply to your calls and he patiently answers your questions, he offers you options to do things on your own as a way to cut costs, and most importantly, you feel comfortable and cared for as a client, then chances are you’ve found a lawyer you can trust and rely on. And there are a variety of ways that this type of professional can save you time and money when it comes to your legal issues.
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Knowledge. Do you know what paperwork you need to file for a divorce? Do you know what information to include, where to file it, and if there are deadlines associated with the process? Do you know how to formulate a legal response? If you’re like most people, you do not (on all counts). Nor do you have the slightest clue how to deal with a DUI charge, how to fight or launch a lawsuit, or how to create a last will and testament. Lawyers have jobs for one reason and one reason only: most people don’t want to take the time to understand the law and the inner workings of the judicial system. We pay lawyers to gain this knowledge for us.
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Experience. Hiring a “good” lawyer means more than finding someone who wins cases (although this is generally preferable). You also have to find a professional who has the right experience. A divorce lawyer isn’t likely to do you much good in the event of a personal injury suit. The type of experience your attorney has can help you to save money simply because he knows the process for your category of case inside and out and he won’t have to reinvent the wheel to get you through it.
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Connections. Those who work in the legal profession tend to be pretty good at networking, and since they interact with the same court officials over and over again, they may be able to grease the wheels or get special considerations because of these connections.
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Intimidation. If we’re being honest, most of us are more than a little frightened by the prospect of tangling with an attorney, even if we’ve done nothing wrong. Their job is to use the law as a weapon of sorts, although if you hire them, they’ll do it on your behalf. It might sound harsh, but the law is so complex that any professional who understands it can use it to their advantage, which is why most people hire an attorney when they find themselves in legal hot water, rather than attempting to defend themselves. And when you have a lawyer backing you up, you become much more formidable to an opponent. It doesn’t take much for a good lawyer to stop a lawsuit in its tracks, for example, simply by letting the other party know how futile their endeavor is in the eyes of the law.
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Honesty. Sometimes knowing the law means knowing when to throw in your cards, and a good lawyer will tell you when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. There are things you can definitely do on your own as a capable adult. You can find and purchase a home, use credit monitoring to raise your score and avoid identity theft, and plan a family vacation. But there are also things you need professional help with, and legal situations rank high on that list. So if a reputable and trustworthy attorney tells you that you don’t have a case or that it’s time to settle, it’s in your best interest to listen since it could end up saving you a lot of wasted time and money.