If you need legal advice or help in an ongoing matter, you may require the services of a solicitor. How do you ensure that the person you choose is the right one for you? Here is a short guide to getting the best person for your individual needs.
The Law Society
Of course, we expect certain standards from the British legal profession, but as in any walk of life, some solicitors are more experienced than others. The governing body of solicitors in England and Wales is The Law Society. Its website contains a database of all solicitors who are authorised to practice by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). It is a simple matter of entering your location on the search facility and looking through a list of all solicitors in your area.
In addition, you should find out if the solicitor you choose has what is called ‘Lexcel’ accreditation, which is the mark of quality within the legal profession. Firms have to apply for accreditation and must demonstrate that they are committed to the highest standards of:
- Client confidentiality
- Cost transparency
- Effective communication
- Efficient complains procedure
Areas of practice
Depending on the nature of your requirements you should look for a solicitor who specialises in the area of law that you need help with. These include employment law if you are experiencing problems with your employers; family law, if you are involved in divorce proceedings or need assistance with adopting a child; a clinical or medical negligence matter; personal injury claims, if you are seeking compensation for injuries caused by someone else; or matters relating to immigration or asylum.
Other specialisms include civil and commercial law, which relates to business, property issues and inheritance; conveyancing for when you are buying or selling a property; planning, which can cover everything from tree preservation orders to developing a listed building; and criminal law, for when a crime has allegedly been committed.
Word of mouth and the internet
A good starting point in finding the best solicitor for your unique circumstances is to ask around your family and friends to see if they can recommend a firm. Personal experience and recommendation can go a long way in demonstrating trust in the solicitor in question and you may feel happier knowing that someone whose judgment you trust is pointing you in the right direction.
There are also specific websites you can visit to do further research. These list law firms by area or by name and rate them, through customer recommendations, a little like travel or restaurant websites. There are also dedicated website forums and chat rooms which discuss the legal services offered by individual firms, where you can ask specific questions relating to costs and other issues and have them answered by people who have first-hand experience.