What Defines Criminal Lawyers?
Criminal lawyers provide legal services for people who claim that someone injured them either physically or even psychologically, because of the other person/organisation/entity’s negligence or intentional crime. Also, if someone brings an injury case against you, you can consider hiring a criminal lawyer too because in general, they also practice the main law as indicated in the Singapore law.
It might look difficult to hire a lawyer for the first time, which is why we prepared this article to help you find a suitable criminal lawyer in SG. Follow these simple tricks to find the best criminal lawyer in Singapore.
Choose a Criminal Lawyer in Singapore with a good track record
If you believe that your case is a large profile, you need to look for a lawyer who can deliver on his promises. It is better to go to a lawyer who has a proven history of getting successful verdicts and settlements. Ask him questions on how many large verdicts and the corresponding settlements he has done. We suggest selecting a criminal defence lawyer who is part of the million dollar advocates club. Also, check if he is an active member of state and national trial lawyer groups in Singapore.
Find a lawyer who has sufficient resources to take these cases seriously.
Lawyers, whether beginner or expert, normally have case studies to show their success and how they can handle such tough cases. A quick observation of the law firm can give you an idea of their current status; if they have all the assets needed and healthy credit resources. There will be times when the case becomes too expensive not only in terms of money, but also time and the lawyer you speak to is expected to handle such unseen conditions. They should also have connections with other criminal lawyers, who may offer help in case the issue gets out of hand.
So, it’s a better idea to hire someone who has some level of technical knowledge as well as a vast network of contacts in their circle. That could definitely come in handy.
Validate his skills through his in depth knowledge in the field
Signs of a passionate criminal lawyer is that he will most likely write deep and insightful articles on the firm website, or even publish books to showcase their in-depth knowledge on the criminal field. Someone with these skills is frequently called on to give guest lectures to university campuses to share their knowledge. This would clearly give a picture of the level of understanding the lawyer has and his capabilities to help you make critical decisions.
Identify the cost associated with hiring a Criminal Lawyer in Singapore
There are three ways lawyers get paid – fixed fee, billable hours and retainer. In fixed fee, the lawyer agrees to charge a fixed fee for a specific period of time. This is especially useful in case of small cases. This way the lawyer can finish the case as quickly as possible. In the case of billable hours, the lawyers charge for the amount of time and effort that goes into the case. They track the administration time, the time taken for preparing for the case and then give you an estimate of the total time taken. This method may be suitable for cases in which there are complexities involved. You can also go for a retainer, where you prepay a lawyer for a fixed period, say one year. The lawyer then works and bills hours within that limit. If the time exceeds the initial paid amount, the lawyer then asks for additional payment.
Find out the type of criminal case
You need to know that the legal issues can be either transactional in nature or of long term type. In short term cases, it is important to have a lawyer who is an expert in that particular area. If you feel that the criminal case is going to take a long time, it is better to have a lawyer who is trustworthy and committed to the case. Hence in case of a long term relationship, it is better to have a good working relationship. A lawyer who is familiar with your specific scenario and takes time to understand your issues is an important factor.
Choose lawyers with specialised expertise
There are various petitions and applications that need to be done for different activities such as bail, investigation, arrest, and pleading guilty etc. Thus, it will be better to have a lawyer who has specific expertise in this particular step of the criminal case. Having such a lawyer would expedite the process. The lawyer needs to know the complexities and the intricacies involved in the criminal law and who has a sharp mind to take advantage of the various procedures that are mandated by the law.