Top Notch Attorney - The Characteristics of a Great Counselor

If you have intelligence, fortitude, and perseverance, you can get a law degree. But getting a degree and passing the bar are only enough to call yourself an attorney. It isn't enough to be called a great one. This presents anyone looking for a lawyer with a problem. You can find one in the phonebook without a second thought. But you have no way of separating the good ones from the, well, not-so-good ones. For that, you'll need to dig a bit deeper. Is it worth it to do so? Your case may very well depend on it. Here are some of the characteristics of a great counselor.

Experience
It is perhaps the number one characteristic of a great counselor: experience. Of course, not every attorney with experience can claim to be a great lawyer. Nonetheless, if you're looking for legal representation, this should be chief among the things you're looking for. You can learn a lot in a classroom, but you can learn a lot more plying your trade in the real world.

Availability
You can hire the best attorney in the country, but what good is he to you if you can never get hold of him? In an age where no one is away from a telephone, email, or text service, there's no excuse for a lawyer you can never talk to. The tragic thing about this characteristic is that it can be difficult to discern before you actually hire the guy. But there are usually signs. How many people did you have to speak to before you actually were able to make an appointment? Did you even meet with your primary lawyer in your initial consultation, or was the appointment handled by an underling? These can be signs that you might not get the personal attention you deserve.

Courage
It takes bravery to be a good attorney. While this may not be true for someone working in transactional law, it is essential for someone working criminal cases or representing plaintiffs and defendants in civil court. Not only does it take guts to get up in front of a jury, it takes a certain amount of fortitude to harshly cross examine a witness. It takes bravery to stand in front of judge and argue your points. Most of all, it takes courage to take cases that may not seem like potential windfalls. While you won't have a hard time finding an attorney purely in the field for the money, the best ones are there for something more. Look for someone who is there because he's trying to make a difference. If you do, you'll have a lawyer you can be proud to have represent you.