What Do You Need to Know About Seeking Legal Advice?

There are a number of situations in which you may require legal advice. From buying a property to getting a divorce, a professional solicitor can help you with a range of legal issues. If you need legal advice, you may be wondering where to start. It can be difficult to know how to find this help, particularly as it’s important that you find the right solicitor for you who can offer you the best advice possible. 

If you need legal advice, it should always be given by a qualified professional. While all solicitors are qualified to practice law, they usually specialise in one or two areas of law and it’s best to find a qualified solicitor who specialises in your area. 

Below, we’ve put together a guide to everything you need to know about seeking legal advice, from finding the right solicitor to handle your case to booking an initial consultation. 

Unless you are an expert in law or a practised lawyer, the world of law can be difficult to navigate. This is where a qualified solicitor comes in. Solicitors are legal experts and regulated lawyers; they can offer you legal advice, tell you what your legal rights are, help you build a claim and represent you in court. Just a few legal issues that a solicitor can help you with include: 

● Making a will

● Buying a house

● Getting a divorce

● Starting your own business

● Sorting out finances 

● Claiming compensation 

● Making a personal injury claim

● Probate

● Road traffic law 

● Criminal law 

● Claiming asylum 

Before you start searching for a solicitor, it’s important that you are clear on the legal advice that you want and are searching for. In order to get the best outcome possible, it’s important that you choose the right solicitor for you - and this often means doing some research beforehand. 

To ensure that you reach a desirable outcome and make informed decisions that are appropriate for your case, it’s always best to find a solicitor or lawyer that specialises or practises in your field. For example, if you’re getting a divorce from your partner, you’ll likely need a family law solicitor. Follow our tips below to ensure you choose the right solicitor and get the best legal advice for you: 

Choosing the right lawyer is not a process that should be rushed and it always pays off to do some research and shop around. The first step you need to take is to determine which type of lawyer you need and in which area your solicitor should specialise in. Your first port of call should always be to ask friends and family members if they have any recommendations. If someone has had a particularly good experience with a solicitor or lawyer, they should be more than happy to recommend them. 

If you’re short of recommendations, do some research online. All reputable solicitors will have a website that clearly lists their services and contact details. It’s always wise to do some background checks before you settle for one - social media is a great way to learn about the reputation of a lawyer. 

Legal aid can help pay for legal advice. To check if you’re entitled to legal aid, you can use gov.uk. You’ll be asked general questions about your legal problem and your income and savings. To get legal aid, you usually need to show you cannot afford to pay for legal costs and your problem is serious. You’ll usually have to give details and evidence of your income, benefits, savings and property, and those of your partner. Legal aid is typically aimed at people on benefits or very low incomes. 

In addition, if you think you may be able to get legal aid for your problem, you should take evidence of your income (including any benefits you receive), your outgoings (such as rent, maintenance payments and childcare costs). Your solicitor will be able to assess your financial circumstances and advise you on whether or not you should apply for legal aid.

Once you’ve found a solicitor that you think is right for you and your case, you should do some preparation before your initial consultation. Before your consultation, you should work out exactly what you want to get out of the appointment. It can be very helpful to make a list prior to the appointment, including the points you want to make about your problem and the questions you want to ask your solicitor. 

It’s important that you take any relevant letters or documents with you to your consultation. You want to give your solicitor as much information as possible to ensure that they can offer you the best legal advice possible and to ensure that they understand exactly what has been going on. If you think you may be entitled to legal aid, take the appropriate evidence as discussed above. Remember, if you know that you won’t be able to get legal aid, you’ll have to take money to pay for your consultation. 

During your consultation, try to answer every question you are asked as accurately and clearly as possible and do not hold back on any information. If your solicitor says something that you do not understand, ask them to explain it to you. Taking notes during your consultation can make it easier to remember things. 

It’s important that you have a good relationship with your lawyer and feel comfortable with them, as well as confident in their abilities. You should familiarise yourself with their style of work and exactly what they specialise in beforehand. It’s always worth taking the time to ask a solicitor some questions to ensure that they are right for you. Questions may include:

● Have you handled cases like mine before?

● What level of experience do you have?

● What type of cases do you typically handle?

● Are you accredited? 

● How much will this cost?

● What is the likely outcome of my case?

● Can I trust you?

The above questions will give you a good idea of your solicitor’s style of work and whether or not they are the right solicitor for you and your case. 

Following your consultation, take the time to think about how it went and whether or not you feel that the solicitor is right for your specific case. You should feel confident in your solicitor and trust their advice. Take the time to think about whether they understood your problem and whether you understood everything they told you. Keep all of the paperwork you get from your solicitor and, should your solicitor require any extra documents from you, try and get these to them as soon as possible. 

Above all else, trust your gut. If your solicitor hasn’t reassured you or you get the feeling that they’re not quite right for you or your case, listen to your gut. Your solicitor will be advising you through a difficult and potentially emotional situation, so it’s important that you trust them, feel comfortable with them and are confident in their abilities. 

At Mark Redler & Co, we offer expert legal and solicitor advice. If you have a complex legal issue, we understand how difficult it can be to know what steps to take next. Dealing with law can be stressful, which is why we aim to both tackle the issue at hand and offer comprehensive emotional support and guidance. For friendly, professional legal help and advice in Stafford, you needn’t look further than us. 

If you’d like to learn more about our services or find out how we can help you today, visit our website or get in touch with a friendly member of our professional team.