Five Questions You Need To Ask Criminal Lawyers In Melbourne

Hiring a good, reliable solicitor is no easy task. The Australian legal sector is saturated with various solicitors in different fields and more upcoming legal graduates on the horizon. It is becoming a more popular and accessible vocation from tertiary educations, meaning it can be hard to find the best of the best. If you have been charged with a serious misdemeanour, you want to know that you have one of the best criminal lawyers in Melbourne by your side. Now, the “best” is a subjective concept. Some people value honesty and integrity, while others may just want someone who can get the job done, no matter the cost. Having said this, there are core values and qualities required to be one of the best criminal lawyers in Melbourne. If you want to find out if your solicitor in Papa Hughes Lawyers has these, you need to ask these questions:

 

How much do you charge?

At the end of the day, a solicitor is a professional who provides a service, and in most cases, they need to be paid for that service. The only situation where payment would not be required is if your solicitor agrees to a contract that is ‘pro bono’, in which services are provided free of charge.

Nonetheless, it is an important question you need to ask criminal lawyers in Melbourne. As a client, you want to ensure that the payment situation is clear and transparent for all parties involved. Will your solicitor be charging on a per hour basis? How often will invoices be emailed to you? And when will payment be due? These are important questions that need to be answered before you sign anything.

 

What is your specialty?

Some criminal lawyers in Melbourne specialize in different types of crimes. Sexual assault, murder, manslaughter or drink driving charges. There are so many different charges, which facilitates the need for criminal lawyers in Melbourne to specialize in different fields.

Naturally, you probably want a solicitor who specializes in your charge. This is because they likely have a lot of experience in dealing with cases that involve that charge. This will give you a much better chance of escaping punishment or at least copping a less severe result. It’s probably not in your best interests to be hiring a solicitor that specializes in family cases or corporate regulations.

 

What is your philosophy that helps you win cases?

At the end of the day, you want to give yourself the best chance of winning. Knowing your solicitor’s strategy and how they intend to get you the best result is a comforting thought. Depending on your values or morals, you may not want one of the shifty criminal lawyers in Melbourne, who may be aggressive and cutthroat – that just may not be your style. You may want someone a bit more amicable and reserved, who knows the time to push the envelope and be more aggressive. Basically, it all depends on your moral compass and philosophy.

 

How often will you keep me informed about my case?

It’s important that criminal lawyers in Melbourne keep you informed about the specifics of your case. You want to know that your barrister is going to keep you informed throughout your case. Will they call you once a week, once a fortnight? Ensuring that you and your barrister are on the same page is very important when it comes to maintaining trust and transparency throughout your professional relationship.

 

What is the likely outcome of my case?

This is a very important question. If your solicitor doubts your case, then maybe look for someone more optimistic. But that doesn’t mean you should shirk honesty and bad news. Out of all the criminal lawyers in Melbourne, you want the most upfront and transparent solicitor in your legal defence team.