Getting charged with an offence by the police is a traumatising and unsettling experience, even if you are a typically thick-skinned person. Not knowing how your future is going to turn out is naturally very scary and it makes sense that, in this situation, you would want to best possible legal representation you can get your hands on.
Having a talented defence solicitor on your side can make all the difference in the outcomes of your trial and sentencing. They will be able to examine and dismiss evidence, argue against claims made by the prosecution and identify any miscarriages in justice.
Ultimately, their goal is to protect your interests by arguing for your innocence or by making sure you only get the fairest possible punishment. They will stand by your side as a determined advocate for your rights and to ensure you are treated fairly at all stages of your trial.
If you live in metropolitan Victoria, then it makes sense that you would want to find the most reliable criminal lawyer in Melbourne to represent you. However, finding this individual can be difficult as there are thousands of different practitioners who want to take your case and you need to be careful not to land with the wrong with.
With so much at stake, including potentially your freedom, you won’t want to make a mistake here. The following will take a look at some steps you can follow to help you find the best criminal lawyer in Melbourne.
Ask people you know for recommendations
A logical first place to start your search is by asking for references from people you know and trust who have had to deal with police scrutiny. If you know someone who was charged with a similar offence to yours and was helped by a talented criminal lawyer in Melbourne, ask them for their contact details.
It’s important to remember that just because the solicitor was effective for someone you know won’t be a guarantee of success for you. You still need to weigh up your options and really make sure if this practitioner is really right for you and your case.
Search the internet
The next place to take your search for the best criminal lawyer in Melbourne is the World Wide Web. By doing a simple Google search, you can end up with hundreds if not thousands of relevant results that you can browse between.
At this point you should be compiling a list of websites that you can quickly navigate between in order to perform a deeper analysis. On each website it’s always a good idea to check out each solicitor’s profile, biography, practice history and their relevant specialisations.
This is important as you want to gauge the character and experience of the criminal lawyer in Melbourne you’re planning to engage. The last thing you need is to end up hiring someone who has little experience or has a work style that’s incompatible with you and your needs.
Interview them
When you have established a shortlist of acceptable candidates, it’s prudent to then organise phone interviews with them to get a better sense of who they are and how they operate. Ideally, they should be eager to take on your case and should be able to lay out a general methodology for how they could help you.
Above all, you need to have an instinctual feeling that this person is the right one to represent you. If you are able to build a quick, sincere rapport with your new criminal lawyer in Melbourne, you’re going to work far more effectively together.