What Makes a Good Lawyer? 7 Top Things to Look For

Most people will encounter a time in their lives where they need to enlist the help of a legal professional. Many people are hiring labor lawyers, for example, after being unfairly terminated by their employers as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

But, what makes a good lawyer? Not everyone’s sure of the answer, and it’s important to know when searching for one.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.

1. They Specialize in Your Area of Law

This is one of the most important attributes to look for when searching for an attorney.

To elaborate, this means that there’s a clear difference between a lawyer who focuses mainly on cases that are similar to yours and one who has simply worked on similar cases in the past.

For example, let’s assume you’re seeking compensation for an injury that occurred within your workplace due to negligence.

Would you rather hire an attorney who almost exclusively handles workplace injury cases, or hire an attorney who’s had a few similar clients before?

The more they specialize in your type of incident, the better off you’ll be.

2. You’re Comfortable With Them

You’ll likely spend a great deal of time during your case meeting with or otherwise communicating with your lawyer. So, it’s imperative that you’re comfortable when talking to them.

This will allow you to naturally provide more information when discussing your case, which can greatly influence your outcome. 

They should also go out of their way to ensure that your concerns are alleviated. Even a simple text message to update you on advancements they’ve made in your case can serve to put one’s mind at ease during times of high tension.

While your personalities don’t have to be an exact match, your lawyer should be someone who you have no problem sitting down and having a conversation with.

3. Transparency

Some attorneys charge extra fees during certain circumstances. For example, a particular lawyer may be open to communicating after business hours, but they may add the time they spend typing an email to you to the total cost you pay for their service.

As you may expect, this can easily result in disappointment when it comes time to pay the bill.

Your lawyer should be as upfront as possible about any fees that are associated with how they practice. Otherwise, you may find yourself paying exponentially more than you originally planned to.

4. Reasonable Pricing

Most attorneys don’t come cheap. This becomes increasingly true as they gain more experience in their area of law.

But, some lawyers attempt to charge objectively more than their services are worth in hopes that people will simply pay their rates without researching other options.

If you feel that the pricing for your attorney is a bit steep, take some time to research other professionals in your area of similar caliber. If the majority of them have significantly lower rates, you can avoid being taken advantage of.

Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t always take the cheapest option available. This could put you at risk of getting lackluster results, which could easily result in drastic consequences depending on your case. 

5. A History of Success

No matter how a lawyer brands themselves when it comes to how effective they are, numbers speak louder than words. If your prospective attorney doesn’t have a strong history of winning cases like yours, it’s best to look elsewhere.

While this isn’t to say that lawyers with less experience aren’t able to provide outstanding results, you’re essentially rolling the dice by choosing someone who doesn’t have a proven track record.

You should also consider the total volume of cases that have had successful outcomes. It’s not quite as reassuring to know that an attorney has a 90% success rate in cases like yours but has only handled 10 cases total.

6. They Operate in Your Region

This is an attribute that many people overlook when searching for their attorneys.

Depending on where the incident occurred, you may need a lawyer from that area who’s more experienced at handling laws in that jurisdiction. Since regulations can vary significantly from county to county, someone from another region may not be able to provide the best results.

Although this can seem complicated initially (such as if an incident occurred in another state), it’s worth the extra effort to find someone who can represent you best.

Those who need legal assistance in South Carolina can contact David Aylor Law Offices for more information.

7. Overall Reputation 

Winning isn’t all that matters when considering your attorney’s history. You should also seek someone who as an established reputation of putting the needs of their clients above all else.

The best way to research this is to use a neutral platform (such as Google Reviews) as opposed to an official website. Keep in mind, though, that reviews that sound too good to be true or ones that are overly negative aren’t likely accurate.

Browse through them to get a feel for how other people’s experiences were and then make an informed decision from there.

Understanding What Makes a Good Lawyer Can Seem Difficult

But it doesn’t have to be.

With the above information about what makes a good lawyer in mind, you’ll be well on your way toward finding the best one for you as quickly as possible. 

Want to learn more tips that can help you out in the future? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog.