Criminal Lawyer: 3 Signs Of A Poor One

How do you know if your criminal lawyer doesn’t have your best interests in mind? If he spends more time texting other clients than responding to you during your consultation, bills you unexpectedly, or has to refer to his legal books to understand your predicament, you may have made a bad decision. Here are the three warning signs of a poor criminal lawyer.


Poor Time Management

A bad criminal lawyer will spread himself thin and try to take on too many cases at once. While it is understandable for a lawyer to handle multiple cases, when they begin to clash and he is unable to devote a reasonable amount of time to you and your cause it might be time to find better legal representation. That isn’t to say that if you can’t consistently get a hold of your criminal lawyer at your every beck and call that you should sack him. There will be times when they cannot answer your call or schedule an appointment with you at the ideal time. However, they should return all correspondences within a reasonable amount of time during business hours (and during crunch time be able to attend to your needs). If your criminal lawyer can hardly keep his cases and clients straight, find one with a lighter workload that can.

Misleading Fees

When you shopping around for an attorney, you’ll find that many have different methods of charging clients. Some will have flat fees for handling the entire caseload, including consultations and any time you spend with them. Others may charge you by the hour, while some will charge you a combination depending on your circumstances. You will also find some large price discrepancies depending on the experience of the criminal lawyer as well as the size of the practice where he works. Once you do settle on an attorney, they should be upfront and give you an accurate estimate of fees to expect. If you find that a criminal lawyer is sending you confusing bills or seems to charge for things that were not disclosed initially, you could very well be getting ripped off. There are some attorneys that will manipulate your duress and confusion during a difficult trial to their advantage, leaving you penniless. Carefully monitor all of the finances during your case and don’t be afraid to ask questions about charges.

Minimal Experience

The best criminal lawyer you can choose to represent you is one with specific experience related to your case. They should have had previous clients who have undergone similar trials and you may even prefer to look for a specialist attorney who deals with only a select few case types. While a new criminal lawyer may be talented and perfectly able to handle your case, it is always best to choose someone more seasoned, even if that means paying the extra price. A good way to find a qualified attorney is through referrals from friends and family or by asking potential lawyers for recommendations from past clients.