I recently read about a case where someone decided that they lost their case because their lawyer didn’t do a good enough job. I laughed at first, but then I read further…they successfully tried the case and they won. I was absolutely floored! After doing some more research on Google, I looked for “criminal defense San Diego” and added the word “bad” to either the beginning or the end of the phrase. Viola! I found several other stories. It doesn’t matter the situation, having a successful attorney on your side who can win your case and have the result be to your advantage is so vital.For instance, in one case, a woman who was abused during her marriage tried to ban the husband/father from having custody and asked for a fair amount of alimony and child support. The added complication is that she had suffered a serious back injury and had been unable to work for years but hadn’t been on medical disability because her husband had made enough to comfortably support them. After taking representation that she felt was adequate (her lawyer was female and specialized in divorces…she stated there was no other reason for selecting that lawyer), her case was bungled. She not only had to split custody with her ex-husband, she was denied alimony because she was declared “fit to work” and ordered to work. If she had done the necessary research about her attorney she would have had a very different result.These types of situations happen more than you may realize where a person’s lawyer does more harm than good when representing their clients in court. I have found that if you spend a little bit of time and energy to find the right (i.e., “good”) attorney, your case’s outcome will be very different. I have narrowed my list to five attributes I look for in a good attorney.I live in San Diego, so I would begin by looking online and searching for a lawyer by “criminal law attorney San Diego”. This narrows the search results. Add words before or after the phrase such as “divorce” “DUI”, or “fraud” to get more specific. I first look for an attorney who has a Web site. This usually means that they want to get business because they are confident about how they perform in court. Second, I look for someone who is an excellent communicator. When you spoke with them, did they ask good questions? Did they tell you what your case looks like and the chance of success based on your information?Next, I look for an attorney who comes recommended by others. Have you been able to read about or speak to former clients who are happy with this lawyer? Another excellent indicator of a good attorney is their knowledge of the law. It may seem apparent that they know what they’re doing. But do they know the loopholes and avoid them? Do they know the statute of limitations for your type of situation? Finally, a counselor you can trust is honest. Warning signs include mentioning ways they have deceived others in past cases and gotten “winning results” and things of this nature.Find a lawyer who has all 5 of these attributes and you’ll be well on your way to winning your case when you have your day in court!
