Choosing the Best Solicitor the Quick and Easy Way

Choosing a solicitor is usually an extremely important task. Whatever it is you need help with, you need to ensure that this person is on the same page as you, and can help you to achieve your dream outcome. You may need a solicitor for many different reasons: a divorce, an accident, or a business dispute to name just a few things. This guide will help you to choose the most suitable solicitor for you in the quickest, easiest way possible:

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Read Reviews and Testimonials

The first step is to read reviews and testimonials online. You should be able to find testimonials on any solicitor’s website, but reviews may be a little harder to find. The best testimonials will only ever be features on a companies website. Real reviews won’t be on the solicitor’s website, but on other sites that specialise in helping people find the most suitable legal professional. They should be fairly simple to find with a quick Google search. Bear in mind that no service will ever get 100% positive feedback, so take each comment with a pinch of salt and see what stands out to you and for what reasons.

Ask for Recommendations

Recommendations are one of the best ways to find a great solicitor. Your friends and family have more than likely needed help from a solicitor in the past, so enquire with them and see if they know anybody who could help you. Bear in mind that each case is individual, so you may have a different experience to the one your friend/family member had. Use recommendations to simply help you narrow down your options, and don’t make a decision based on these alone.

Budget

Your budget does matter, but you shouldn’t make a decision based on this. You’ll more than likely get what you pay for, so if you go for the cheapest service you could waste a lot of time and money. Take your budget into account and go for the solicitor that seems like the best value for money. Bear in mind that the most expensive solicitor doesn’t always guarantee you win your case or get the result that you want.

Cheap Quotes

Cheap quotes are usually a sign of the service you’ll receive. If you notice any ridiculously cheap quotes, I’d advise you to use your common sense and steer clear. Don’t be swayed by a quote like this. Also be aware of any hidden fees that you might be presented with.

How Knowledgeable are the Staff?

You’ll want to set up meetings with your prospects so that you can get a feel for the way they work and their staff. How knowledgeable do the staff seem? If you struggle to find somebody to speak to or have issues getting the answers you want, this could be a warning sign for the future. If they can’t be bothered to impress a potential client and get you on board, what will they be like if you decide to work with them? You should be a priority to the firm that you decide to do business with.

Ask Lots of Questions

Ask as many questions as you need to get an idea of what this solicitor can do for you, recommends GT Stewart. If you get the answers you want, great! If you don’t understand their answers or don’t feel comfortable with what they’ve said, get out of there. You want to make sure that they understand completely what you’re hoping to get out of this, and that they can help you to achieve it. Write down a list of questions before you go so that you don’t feel under pressure once you get there.

Make Sure They Have Experience With a Legal Issue Like Yours

Different solicitors specialise in different things. The solicitor you go for should ideally have plenty of experience with cases like yours. If they don’t, it doesn’t mean they can’t help you. It just means you’re taking a bit of a risk. Find out what cases they specialise in and whether your case should be a breeze for them.

Don’t Fall for Empty Promises

Some solicitors can make empty promises to try to get you on board. They might tell you that they can 100% win your case, or make other promises that seem far too good to be true. Well, what your mom told you was true. If something sounds too good to be true, then it more than likely is. A solicitor who is trustworthy and honest will tell you the truth about your case. They’ll fill you in on every possible outcome, and more than likely tell you the outcome you should expect. It won’t always be what you want to hear, but it will be the truth. This is why you should have meetings with multiple solicitors; so you can weigh up what each one has said to you and decide which you think is the most trustworthy and honest.

I recommend writing things down as you’re in the meeting so you don’t forget anything crucial.

Go With Your Gut Instinct

At the end of the day, you must go with your gut instinct. You should never go with a solicitor if it doesn’t feel right. More often than not, your gut will lead you in the right direction. The hard thing is knowing what your gut is telling you, as your head can get in the way at times. As well as recording what is said to you in your consultations, record how you feel about a certain solicitor and your first impression of them. This will help you to weigh up your options when you’ve spoken with each prospect.

Use these tips and you should be able to find not only the most suitable solicitor, but also make the task quick and easy. Be objective and make sure you write everything down so you can look back later and make the wisest decision. I hope you found this useful. Good luck!