Sure, every attorney goes to law school and passes the bar, but what separates an average attorney from a great attorney, and how can you be sure if you have a great attorney? Here are four ways to know you have picked the right attorney in Vacaville.
Speaking and Listening Skills
A great lawyer needs to be able to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people including: judges, police officers, bankers, accountants, other attorneys, and a host of others.
However, the most important people person for your attorney to communicate effectively with is you. A sign that you have a great attorney is feeling comfortable enough to share everything necessary to your case with them. In addition to sharing on your side, a great attorney will always have complete openness with you and let you know about best case and worst case scenarios for your situation as well as current and evolving strategies.
Good Negotiation Skills
A great lawyer will be a master of negotiation. In addition to arguing your case before a judge either in or out of court, your lawyer will also be negotiating on your behalf. This negotiation can be just as important to your case as evidence for or against you. While the evidence presented may or may not be in your favor, a great attorney can negotiate a jail sentence to probation, or probation to community service in a criminal case, a favorable resolution in your trust litigation case, or a fair division of assets in a divorce case.
Investigation and Research Skill
An attorney may not be a full-time investigator, but he or she will most definitely do their own research and investigation into your case and similar cases to decide on the best strategy to get the best possible outcome. This could include looking into inconsistencies with drug test results for DUI or drug related cases, or discovering secret accounts that your spouse had been hiding during your divorce. Great investigation skills make for great results throughout your case and could mean the difference between jail time and a dismissal or thousands of dollars in spousal or child support.
Results
A great way to be sure you have a great attorney is to do your own research into their firm and see if they have had success in cases similar to your own. This will also help you realize you are hiring a great attorney by showing you how they have helped clients get charges dropped, cases dismissed, restraining orders granted, and custody awarded, for example. While each case is different, and your results will depend on the facts of your individual case, your attorney should be prepared to fight for the best possible results.
While no two cases are identical, knowing your lawyer’s previous success rates, being able to comfortably communicate with them and knowing their background and legal skills will give you great peace of mind throughout the duration of your case.
