If you find yourself needing a criminal lawyer, it is fair to say that you are in a bit of trouble already. More than likely you will be panicking, thinking about the worst possible scenario, how you are going to be locked away for more time than you want to imagine. But before you pick the first criminal lawyer that you come across, take a deep breath and think about how this one decision will have a huge impact on your future. A bigger impact than the mistake you have already made. The lawyer that you choose has the power to help you out of trouble, they are the one thing stand between you and some jail time. With that in mind take a few minutes to read the advice below, before picking the perfect person to defend you. You can contact Sydney criminal lawyers for any issues in your case.

Research

The first step in making any decision is research. Speak to as many people in the know as you can, look at reviews and try to gather as much information about the criminal lawyer that you are thinking of hiring. Make sure they have enough experience in the field that your crime was committed. Check recent references and the outcomes of the cases, while try to speak to other people that have used their services.

Moreover, make sure you know exactly what will be needed from you when it comes to each lawyer; how much and when you will have to pay as well as the chance of success. Try to become as educated as possible before making a final decision on who you want to defend you.

Working relationship     

When you decide on a lawyer, outline from the offset how much communication there will be between the two of you. You should set expectations early to avoid conflict later in the relationship. Most likely your lawyer will have other cases that they are looking after. They will give you adequate time, but it may be less than you wanted. If this is all made clear from the start, there should be no problems moving forward.

Fees

For most of us when buying a product or using a service, how much we are going to pay is a big deciding factor. The same can be said when hiring a lawyer, but obviously the more you spend, the better the quality of your defence. Before you begin working together, your lawyer should provide you with a detailed breakdown of all costs and potential costs so that you will know what to expect moving forward.

Records

According to Papa Hughes, if you hand any documentation over to your lawyer, make sure that you have made a copy that you can keep. Also keep a record of any payments you have made to them while always ask for a receipt to prove that you have got it. If you think you have been overcharged or do not understand part of your bill, always ask to have it explained.

Service

It’s hoped that all will go well. That you will get the best outcome possible given the circumstances and you will be able to put this part of your life behind you once and for all. However, for some it doesn’t work out like this. If you feel that you have not had a good representative or that they could have done something else to help, there are avenues in which you put in a complaint to have your lawyer investigated. There are hundreds of external factors that affect a case and the lawyer defending you so it is important to keep this mind when lodging a complain.

Good luck!