When you are looking for the right criminal lawyer in Toronto, you probably have a lot of questions about how to connect with a legal professional who will know how to defend you. Selecting a skilled criminal lawyer is critical in these kinds of cases. You will want to be sure that you are presented in the right light in court, and that all the facts of your case are made clear to the jury during your trial.
If you have been accused of a criminal offence in Toronto, you will need to seek the help of a skilled criminal defence lawyer right away. Having the right legal team on your side matters greatly toward the outcome of your case. If you are not sure how to find the right criminal lawyer for your needs, this guide will help you.
Finding a Skilled Criminal Defence Lawyer in Toronto
There are some key steps that you need to take to secure the right criminal lawyer for your case. With the right lawyer on your side, you will be much more likely to achieve a reduced sentence or to be exonerated if you are not guilty of the crimes you were accused of committing. The process of connecting with a lawyer and legal team who can provide support and guidance for your case can be hard if you are not sure how to go about it.
Always make sure that you do not seek guidance for your case from anyone other than a criminal lawyer. This kind of case requires a great degree of skill, and you will not get the help and support that you need from a lawyer who does not specialize in this kind of case.
Consult with a Potential Criminal Lawyer
The first step in finding the right criminal defence lawyer is to agree to a consultation. During this process, you will be asked to provide the details of your crime or the actions that you have been accused of. The legal professional that you are speaking with will offer you some advice and information about how they believe the case should be handled. You will also need to ask about payment for the time of the legal team or lawyer that you are consulting with.
You will also want to make sure that the lawyer you are speaking with has worked on your kind of case before. There are many complexities to these kinds of cases, and a lack of experience in your type of case might be disastrous for you as the client. The right criminal lawyer will have worked on your kind of case before, and will also have most of the answers to the questions that you ask without having to look anything up. You should be wary of a lawyer who seems to be lacking in confidence or who cannot answer your questions.
Verify Credentials & Accomplishments
Verifying experience is very important when picking a criminal defence lawyer in Toronto for your case. It is easy for someone to say that they are an expert in one part of the law or another, but without credentials to back this up, you should not take them at their word. You can readily look up any achievements, publications, or landmark cases that the lawyer you are speaking with has been the recipient of or involved in. You can also verify that they are properly credentialed in Toronto.
However, using online reviews like Google reviews is not always the best way to verify that someone is a good lawyer. People who have lost their cases or been given a sentence that they were not happy with might be angry and leave reviews that are not accurate. You will want to make sure to look at more official information during your research into credentials for your lawyer of choice.
Check Reputable Sources
As mentioned above, verifying the standing and experience of your lawyer with Google reviews is not ideal. You will want to check with the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) to be sure that your lawyer of choice is in good standing. You can also verify awards won and any publications that might have been mentioned. Lawyers who are honest and reliable will not make up their resumes, so you should be able to verify all of the various credentials they might have called out without having to look too far. This is important for your search, because you never want to work with a criminal lawyer who does not know how to work on your kind of case, or one that would lie about their credentials.
Inquire About Fees
One of the most important things that you need to ask during your consultation is the expected cost for your defence. It can take many, many hours to prepare and process this kind of case, and your legal fees might be quite high. Some lawyers will work on cases pro bono, while others will work with clients that need to rely on legal aid support to help pay for their time. You want to make sure that all of these details are discussed during your consultation.
Criminal lawyers are aware of the steep costs of this kind of case, and they are often willing to be flexible to help clients with payment. If you cannot afford to pay a large retainer for your defence, you will want to make sure that this is discussed with potential lawyers during the consultation.
Selecting the Right Criminal Defence Lawyer in Toronto is Important
Criminal defence cases are complex, and they can involve life-changing sentences. If you have been accused of a crime in Toronto, you need to be sure that you have engaged the right skilled criminal lawyer to care for your case. You will be much more likely to get a positive result at the end of your case if you have secured a skilled lawyer to help with your defence.
Contact us today at Vilkhov Law for a consultation if you have been accused of a crime in Toronto. We take pride in helping our clients seek the positive outcomes that they have been looking for, with years of experience to back our motivation to help you get the outcome you deserve.
