How do I choose the right lawyer for my case?
This is a difficult question to answer. It may be that you are not comfortable discussing the fact that you have been charged with your friends and family, who would normally be a good source of referral to a specialist in any other profession or trade.
Our firm considers that the following qualities and practices are essential to quality legal representation in criminal law and traffic cases:
- Many years of experience in practice
- Personal experience in superior court advocacy (not just in briefing barristers)
- Specialist accreditation by the Law Institute of Victoria
- Sound academic qualifications, including at post-graduate level
- Extremely thorough and up to date understanding of all aspects of criminal law, evidence and sentencing, in theory and practice
- Passion for criminal law, and in the related fields of constitutional and administrative law, and human rights
- High regard for justice, and fairness, and equal treatment for all clients
- A commitment to pro bono justice
- High regard for privacy and confidentiality, and other ethical obligations
- Capacity to listen to and act on client instructions rather than imposing the lawyer’s own view of the case
- Capacity to explain complicated procedures and principles, so that the client is kept informed and can give full instructions at all stages of the proceeding
- A willingness to fight for the client
- Independence from police and prosecutors
- Specialised practice, not general practice and a willingness to take on cases outside a practitioner’s area of expertise
- 24 hour, seven day availability, in case of an emergency
- Providing quality services at a reasonable cost, including undertaking work paid by Victoria Legal Aid if the client meets their criteria
- Involvement of the senior partner in all files managed by the firm, at all stages of the case; not just in the high profile cases, or at the first interview, then delegating to a solicitor with only one or two years of practice
- A detailed understanding of every case handled by the firm
- Membership in legitimate, recognisable and verifiable professional organisations (not invented ones)
We are the best lawyers for your case, but even if you do not decide to instruct our office, this list may be a useful one to take to any first interview with another criminal lawyer.
We offer a free first telephone consultation so that you can find out some basic information about the charges you are facing, and what to do next. Your matter will be kept in the strictest of confidence. Contact us now by telephone or email to discuss your matter in more detail.
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