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After you’re charged with a crime, the next step is finding a New Jersey attorney to defend you in court. This is an essential step because this person will be in charge of building your case. In a way, your future rides on your attorney’s ability to work with you to hopefully get charges dismissed or at least downgraded. As you look for an attorney, take the time to truly do your research. When you sit down for your initial consultation, determine whether the attorney seems like someone you can trust with your case. If you don’t think they are, there is no shame in finding someone new. Go with your gut! Read on to learn about 5 things you should look for when finding an attorney.
Experience
The first key item to look for when finding an attorney is their experience. While there is nothing wrong with a lawyer straight out of law school, it can be more comforting to find an attorney with many years of experience under their belt. Before scheduling your consultation, go on the attorney’s website. Check out their resume if it is listed. Find their “About” page and look for the year they first started practicing. The best part about an experienced attorney is that they will have successful cases to draw upon when building your case. For example, if they have successfully gotten shoplifting charges downgraded in the past, they can use similar strategies to help you out. During your initial consultation, don’t be afraid to ask the attorney about their experience. Leon Matchin will be happy to tell you about his many years of experience owning his law firm and successfully defending clients.
Reviews
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
Another thing to check out before picking an attorney is their reviews. It is a good idea to see how other people have felt about the attorney before you decide to work with them. Often lawyers will post “success stories” on their website. This is a great place to start when seeking out reviews. In addition, find some third-party sources like Yelp, Facebook, and Google Reviews to see what others are saying. Remember, no attorney is ever going to have all positive reviews. There will always be disgruntled clients or those who didn’t get charges dropped who completely blame their attorney.
The point of looking at reviews is to see if the overall consensus is positive. Take out the outliers and figure out if most people seem to have had a good experience with the attorney. Avvo is another site where you can find attorney-specific reviews. On this site you will find that Leon Matchin has 5 stars, with 248 people that have reviewed him. Another thing to look out for is the number of reviews. You want to make sure you are looking at a source with enough reviews. For example, if an attorney has 5 stars but only 2 reviews, this might not be completely reliable. You are better off finding someone who has been reviewed many times.
Communication
Good communication skills are a must when it comes to a successful attorney/client relationship. Throughout the entire process, the client needs to be aware of what is going on. The attorney should be in frequent communication with the client so that they are on the same page. All questions should be answered in a timely manner, and you should be able to get an appointment with your attorney when needed.
As you are going through the process of your initial consultation, be on the lookout for signs of good communication. This includes things like how much time the attorney spends answering your questions and whether he/she mapped out the process of what future communications will look like. Nothing is worse than being left in the dark about what is going on with your case. Leon Matchin excels in his communication skills. He will communicate with you every step of the way so that you know the progress and status of your case.
Persistent
A good attorney should be persistent. The attorney should have a “never give up” attitude, as this will help you stand a better chance of winning your case. The ultimate goal of going to court is to have charges downgraded or dismissed. You need an attorney who is willing to do the research and put in the time and effort to build your case. If you are looking for persistence, then Leon Matchin is the right lawyer for you. He will work hard to create a defense that will hopefully help get charges dropped or penalties decreased.
A New Jersey Attorney Should Be Organized
Last but not least, a good attorney should be organized. Attorneys are often working on many cases at once, so organization is key. In general, it will be pretty easy to tell whether an attorney is organized after your initial consultation. First, how easy was it to make the appointment? Did they seem organized with their schedule when you called? Once you got to the consultation, what did their office look like? Was it neat and clean, or was it a mess?
When you spoke with the attorney, was he/she prepared for the meeting, or did it seem like they were flying by the seat of their pants? Asking yourself these questions can help you determine if this attorney is someone you want to work with. Chances are that if they seem disorganized in the beginning, that is how they will be throughout the entire case. Leon Matchin is organized and professional from start to finish. You will never have to worry about things getting done or falling by the wayside with him.
Finding Your New Jersey Attorney
Finding a good New Jersey attorney is crucial to the success of your case. This should be someone with experience, good reviews, excellent communication skills, persistence, and who is highly organized. Leon Matchin is all of these things and more! He has spent years successfully defending many clients just like yourself. For more information about how an attorney can help you, call Leon Matchin today at 732-887-2479, or contact him via email at [email protected].
