Facing up to the prospect of criminal charges can be an overwhelming experience, but a major element of confronting this is assessing your legal position and preparing your defence. And therefore it is essential that you choose a good criminal lawyer, and as soon as you can. Not only will this help you prepare the strongest defence possible, but a professional criminal lawyer will also explain to you how the legal process will work and will ensure you understand what your legal rights are.
If you are faced with having to source a criminal lawyer quickly, it is easy to rely on word of mouth. But even if a solicitor has been successful with a case involving someone you know, it doesn’t necessarily translate that they will be successful with your case too. You may require a specific area of expertise, and it is important to remember that every legal case is different, and the levels of complexity make some cases easier to be successful in than others, so you should carry out comprehensive research when choosing a local criminal lawyer, and here are some tips to help you when selecting the right criminal lawyer for you:
- Local knowledge – An understanding of the local community is essential if a lawyer is hoping to be successful on a local basis. This means they need to understand the neighbourhood, the people and the culture, and what pressures people may be facing. But a criminal lawyer with good local knowledge will also have an understanding of which judges and prosecutors you may be facing in the local courts. This can become an advantage during court proceedings.
- Dedicated offices – It is tempting to use the biggest firm of solicitors you can find, but using a smaller solicitors with a local office can also be a benefit. You are more likely to be issued with a dedicated solicitor, rather than meeting someone different each time. A smaller office has a smaller team, and so it is easier to build up a relationship and trust with someone you can meet with regularly. This also becomes an advantage with communications, so each time you ring up you can speak to the same person, and it will be easier to locate paperwork and refer to previous conversations. Even the proximity of meeting someone in a Castleford office is much easier than having to travel to Leeds each time, for example.
- Communications – A good criminal lawyer is one that communicates well. This means they are responsive, clear and concise and avoid using technical jargon. You need honest and clear advice in this situation. And you can usually gauge how good a solicitor is with communication very quickly, in how they respond to your initial enquiries and how easily they lay out their terms etc.
- Expertise – A good local solicitors should have a website which details the breadth and experience of their team, so do some research and see what legal resources they have available to you. Is there expertise in the area of criminal law you need? Is there a history of success with your area of criminal law? Read the various bios of the team members and see if there is a good match for your case.
- Trust – This can be a hard one to establish without any kind of prior contact, but you should get a feel for a firm of solicitors from their values and ethics, or a mission statement posted on the website. How do they work? Do their values align with yours? Can you do some research and see if there have been any complaints lodged against them? This could identify a problem with how tight they are on confidentiality, for example.
- Referrals – While it can be dangerous to solely rely on a referral from someone you know, reading third party, independent reviews can be very helpful. Here there is no personal bias and you can establish firm, impartial viewpoints on the reputation, values and effectiveness of a criminal lawyer.
Contact Ison Harrison for a professional criminal lawyer in Castleford
When looking for an experienced criminal lawyer, our team in Castleford, West Yorkshire are able to help with all related matters across this area of the legal spectrum. Our office in Castleford is accessible and centrally located, and we can provide you with dedicated legal support throughout the lifespan of your case. With trusted, respected and experienced criminal law professionals, we can provide sympathetic and effective legal support to ensure you are fully prepared for your case, and have the best possible chance of success.
If you are facing criminal charges and need a criminal solicitor in Castleford, contact us today on 01977 557 171 or email castleford@isonharrison.co.uk.
