How to Choose a Lawyer: A Few Tips

Can the correct lawyer make the difference in starting a business, facing a legal dispute, or even just needing advice on an agreement? Since so many legal professionals are out there, which one is best suited to your needs?

A lawyer must not only have knowledge of the law but also become your trusted advisor who gains an understanding of your situation, communicates well, and works toward a favorable resolution. This plaintiff lawyer selection guide will provide practical tips to help you with hiring a lawyer for license defense, civil litigation, or family law.

The first big thing you have to do is identify what kind of legal need you require. Laws generally are divided into practice areas, such as:

• Business and Contractual Law

• Real Estate and Property Law

• Family Law and Divorce

• Labor Disputes and Employment

• Criminal Defense

• Licensing and Regulation
  
  

In the case of professional certification, a professional license attorney will have to be called in, someone familiar with regulatory bodies of hearings, and administrative appeals.

Your legal issue can provide a very good clue as to what type of law an attorney would likely practice, which would then narrow down the search for attorneys with such law experience.

Look for Specialized Experience

Once you've identified your needs, focus on lawyers who have demonstrated experience in that area. Experience doesn’t only mean years in practice, it also means successful outcomes in similar cases.

Say you were a healthcare provider whose license was under review. Maybe a regular lawyer will not be able to address the boards of licenses or work with state regulations. A seasoned professional license defense lawyer, though, will be familiar with the language in use, the procedures, and the pitfalls from which to avoid.

An attorney with industry-specific license defense and litigation experience would be preferable when an issue is likely to stay in trial. A female professional attorney in court may be extensively trained in litigation and has come through successfully in the heat of opposition. 

Referrals and recommendations

Referrals and recommendations as a type of word-of-mouth advertising are among the most exquisite ways of finding legitimate legal representation. Ask friends, family, or business colleagues if ever they had experience working with an attorney whom they would recommend. Maybe you already know an attorney who deals with other areas of the law-and could possibly be able to refer you to someone who works in the area you are interested in.

Lawyer associations and law-related websites, local legal directories are also great places to look. Here, you will find a little list of some famous lawyers working in Armenia. Being a client yourself, one can observe their reviews and articles, as well as their professional memberships to confirm reputability and level of expertise.

Check Credentials and Licensing

A very important matter to confirm beforehand is whether the lawyer in question is licensed to practice in the jurisdiction with a lawyer. In Armenia, such information may be obtained from the Chamber of Advocates, where there is a directory of all registered and practicing attorneys.

In addition, check for:

• Education and degrees

• Disciplinary history

• Years of experience

• Languages spoken (this is really very important if the client prefers to carry on in Armenian, Russian or English)
  
  

If it is a licensed professional lawyer that you are retaining, make sure that they would also understand the industry regulations involved-whether that be healthcare, education, finance or realty.

Meet in Person (or Virtually)

A first meeting goes beyond an introduction; there lies the chance to see if an attorney is a good fit for your own affairs and preferences. Most Armenian attorneys provide an initial consultation, which may be free of charge or offered at a flat fee.

Observing the meeting:

• Response Time: Do they return calls and answer emails promptly? 

• Professionalism: Do they display respect for you? Do they arrive on time to their appointments with you? Do they charge fees openly and explain to their clients what to expect?

• Confidence, not arrogance: A good lawyer will advise you honestly with no guarantees of a result.
  
  

Many clients especially feel empowered having a woman professional lawyer in the courtroom who combines legal rigor and empathetic understanding-the two that have great meaning in sensitive family or workplace conflicts.

Discuss fees and billing

Legal fees vary with the experience of a lawyer, practice, if you may, or geographic siting. Ensure that you understand your method of billing:

• Hourly rate: Generally, the accepted means in litigation and consulting work.

• Flat fee: These are the fees of choice for seemingly simple services such as contract drafting or notarizing of documents.

• Contingency fee: These fees and percentages are taken when the case is a personal injury or compensation claim, where the lawyer will take a percentage of the awarded amount.
  
  

Request a written agreement spelling out the costs and how they are to be paid. That way, there will be no later confusion.

Assess Compatibility and Trustability

Legal matters might get very stressful and emotionally ironed. You want a lawyer who understands your case and has respect for your value system and who can communicate with honesty and integrity.

Are you comfortable in talking about sensitive information with them? Do they appear to really want to help you? Go by your instincts; compatibility and trust are as important as the legal qualifications. 

Certain clients prefer attorneys representing them that actually mirror their own sort of identity and background. If that matters to you, then try searching for Armenian attorneys that meet your language and cultural  preferences.