It’s certainly not every day that you need to go out in search of legal help. Nevertheless, we will all encounter times when nothing but expert guidance and support will suffice – and, when we do, putting our faith into someone based off a website or a single meeting alone can be hard.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things to look out for as you go out in search of a reputable law firm. Read more about them below.
What Do Your Friends and Family Say?
To prove our point that, at some time or another, we all need to turn to the expertise of a lawyer, why not start by asking your friends and family what their recommendations are? In all likelihood, the majority of them will have some sort of experience to share, and it could help you to find the ideal firm for you.
What About the Online Reviews?
Similarly, check up on a firm’s online reviews. There, you will be able to read through many peoples’ unique experiences of the firm you’re reviewing which, together, paint a pretty accurate picture of the firm’s capabilities.
Even if it takes a while to find a firm with a high enough trust score for you to feel comfortable, there’s no need to ‘settle’. For instance, the 99% of the clients surveyed by Cheltenham-based law firm www.willans.co.uk would recommend their services to others – a perfect example of the level of service you should be aiming for.
While reviews from a broad array of past clients will always be useful, make sure you pay particular attention to the specific service you’re after. For instance, if you’re looking for help with a will dispute, make sure they have strong reviews in this particular area.
Do the Experts Rate Them?
Client reviews are, of course, only half of the story. You should also be mindful of the fact that a strong law firm will have plenty of endorsements from professional bodies, who will review the strength of a law firm’s services a little differently to the way their clients do.
For instance, check to see that your prospective law firm is rated on merit by national legal guides. These include the Legal 500, which offers free to view assessments of law firms, and Chambers, which offers an equally valuable ranking system for law firms.
Are They Accredited with The Law Society?
The Law Society is an independent body that, among many other things, offers reassurance to prospective clients that the law firm they are dealing with is genuine and regulated.
Any law firm’s SRA (Solicitors’ Regulation Authority) ID number should be clearly visible on their website. You can then type this number into the Law Society’s Law Firm Search Tool to verify that they are who they say they are.
In some (very rare) cases, law firms elect not to be included on this register. If, however, you can’t find your solicitor on there, then the chances are that they aren’t to be trusted.
Put Yourself in Touch
Finally, the only way to truly understand whether or not you will be happy to work with a law firm is to reach out to them, explain the specifics of your case, and see how you feel about their ability to handle your enquiry.
If they keep you waiting or quickly delve into complex and hard-to-follow legal jargon, then it’s always best to move on until you find someone you can feel comfortable working alongside.