There are over 100,000 lawyers in the State of Florida. How do you decide who should represent you? When I graduated from The University of Miami School of Law in 1990 there were less than half that number. Back then UM Law was one of five accredited law schools. Now there are 12. These law schools accept people who the more established law schools would not even consider.
You may call one these many lawyers you find online like Mike G Law. How can you tell the difference? Please consider the following a list of important factors to determine who is going to assist you with what may be the most difficult experience of your life. Whether you go to prison, get charges dismissed or are placed on probation may have a lot to do with your lawyer’s experience, reputation and dedication.
1. DON’T HIRE A LAWYER WHO THROWS A PRICE OVER THE PHONE. It’s a come on. They could be sitting in their pajamas at McDonald’s. Insist on going to their office and meeting them before money is discussed. They should be professional and demonstrate a genuine concern for you. At Mike G Law we will not quote fees over the phone unless attendance at our office is not possible.
2. DISCUSS THE FACTS AND WHAT THE LAWYER’S LEGAL STRATEGY WOULD BE. Every Defendant is different. Make sure the lawyer’s plan makes sense for you. There are some really smart, hard-working lawyers and many lazy and dumb ones. Make sure yours seems to know what the hell they are talking about.
3. ASK WHAT THE BEST VERSUS WORST OUTCOMES COULD BE. Clients often only hear the best outcome. Do not be deaf to the bad news. Many lawyers will promise you the moon and the stars if you pay them. Don’t fall for it.
4. ASK THEM WHAT AREAS OF THE LAW THEY PRACTICE. There are lawyers out there who practice “Rent Law”. That is whatever it takes to pay their rent, the electric bill, their bar tab or alimony. STAY AWAY FROM LAWYERS WHO PRACTICE MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE LAW. The law is complicated. Lawyers can rarely be good at more than two or three areas at most and they will almost always concentrate primarily in one area only.
5. ASK THE LAWYER HOW MANY YEARS THEY HAVE PRACTICING IN THE AREA OF THE LAW YOU NEED. Mike G has been a criminal lawyer for over 25 years and has worked successfully as a prosecutor and defense lawyer. MIKE G HAS BEEN DECLARED AN EXPERT IN CRIMINAL LAW.
6. DON’T BE DAZZLED BY A FLASHY WEBSITE, AND IGNORE THE NUMBER OF STARS NEXT TO SOMEONE’S NAME ONLINE. The only thing it takes to have a nice website is money and Online Reviews can be total crap. All you have to do is ask one hundred of your best friends to write how great you are. They are practically meaningless.
7. IS YOUR LAWYER AV PREEMINENT RATED? In order to get the highest rating, which Mike G has earned, he had to submit the names of twenty local judges and thirty attorneys who know him and are familiar with the quality and ethics of his work. They had to rate him as at the top of his field.
Lawyers can be great salesmen. Make sure yours lawyer is more than that and not simply a con man who only cares about getting paid. If you sit down with Mike G you will quickly see that he cares about the facts, the law and the game plan. Then, he will discuss your financial resources and legal fees.