Are you or a loved one currently facing criminal charges? Do you require strong legal representation to defend your case? Are you confident that the right attorney can help you seek justice?
If you had a positive answer to any of these questions, you need to actively start finding an experienced lawyer to handle your criminal defense case. But in a location such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this otherwise easy process can become quite stressful.
The reason is simple. Due to being one of the most densely populated cities in the U.S., Philly has an abundance of attorneys and law firms that claim to be the best in the business. While this provides you with a plethora of Philadelphia criminal lawyers to choose from, it also makes the task harder than it should be. See more.
Finding the Best Philadelphia Criminal Lawyers
When grappling with the effects of a criminal lawsuit, every facet of your case holds critical importance to its outcome. Any lapses in your defense can tilt the jury to the plaintiff’s side, and any stumbling arguments may get you closer to a fate you don’t deserve.
That’s why it’s essential that when you are presented with the challenge of a criminal lawsuit in PA, you leave no stones unturned in finding the best criminal lawyers in Philadelphia.
When you start with a few points in mind, it is not that difficult to shortlist the best candidates and make the selection process easier on yourself. To help you through this seemingly daunting task, here are a few tips on finding your ideal legal representation in Philadelphia.
1. Start by Asking for References
What do you do when the simple act of hiring a lawyer can make or break your whole criminal defense case?
You ask for help from people who have gone through similar experiences. Most specifically, this refers to people whom you trust with your life and who can vouch for certain legal professionals through personal experience. By simply reaching out to your social circle such as your family, friends, and coworkers, you can find a few recommendations for Philadelphia criminal lawyers who are worth their salt. From there, you can ensure to shortlist these names and reach out to them to see if they can take your case.
This particular step seems quite basic, but it is very effective. Since the recommendations for these individuals come from people you know in real life, you can trust their judgment and prioritize lawyers from an otherwise infinite list. This also gives you more confidence in your criminal defense proceedings from the very start.
2. Browse Specialized Platforms
While looking for the best criminal lawyers in Philadelphia, limiting your recommendation pool to people you know in real life can be a double-edged sword. Along with getting you vetted referrals, it can also decrease the number of suggestions you get. That’s why it’s important that you branch out to other avenues of advice. This typically relates to online platforms that attend to criminal defense discussions in Philly and surrounding areas.
Such avenues include but are not limited to Facebook Groups that deal with legal topics and Reddit subreddits that pay attention to specific defense questions. This provides you with more than a single avenue to getting sound references for your case.
But that’s where you need to expand your vetting approach. By doing quick online searches, you can eliminate any suggestions that do not relate to your expectations. For instance, if your goal is to find an attorney with criminal defense experience, you can easily let go of suggestions that relate to civil case lawyers only.
3. Do an Online Search
This is as straightforward as it gets. By searching online for phrases such as Philadelphia criminal lawyers or best criminal lawyers in Philadelphia, you can get an instant list of nearby attorneys who can fulfill your needs. Here’s the kicker for this one: While it is incredibly easy to type a few words into your search engine, it is also terribly exhausting to deal with the number of listings that you get as a result.
This is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you have a wide selection of criminal defense attorneys who are active enough to show up on a web search. On the other hand, you cannot just blindly pick through the first result that catches your eye.
That’s where the activity of shortlisting well-reviewed attorneys comes into play. By looking at the online ratings of lawyers through credible platforms such as Google and Yelp, you can easily know which attorneys to contact and which ones to stay away from. Make a top 5 based on ratings and compare.
4. Reach Out for Active Conversations
Once you have a handful of suggestions for criminal defense attorneys and law firms, you can initiate the process of a one-on-one discussion with them. This doesn’t have to be an in-person appointment or a video call. You can simply call the offices of these Philadelphia criminal lawyers and start a conversation with them. By outlining the circumstances of your case and understanding the attorneys’ advice, you can get one step closer to hiring the best criminal lawyers in Philadelphia.
Apart from explaining your case, you can also ask questions regarding the lawyers’ experience, their costs, their approach, and their thoughts on your chances in court. This gives you an idea of all key factors, which allows you to determine whether the attorney is a good fit for you or not.
You can then compare the results of these short interviews side-by-side. By paying attention to factors such as cost, approach, availability, and past experience, you can easily select someone you can rely upon in such a critical situation.
These basic yet essential tips make sure that no matter how grueling the process may look at first, you are able to find optimal legal representation in a few simple steps. This gives you the extra assurance you need while going through a difficult criminal defense case.
