If you’re filing or challenging a case, your goal is to secure a favorable verdict. Whether it’s a criminal, civil, or administrative case, any party to a legal battle wants the case to be ruled in their favor. This is the reason why getting a lawyer is not enough. You need to work with a seasoned lawyer who knows the litigation’s ins and outs and has a mastery of the law, case precedents, and exceptions to the general rules.
You don’t need lawyers who can promise you high chances of winning. Instead, you need one who has a proven track record and experience that can keep up with this promise. Here are the qualities your legal aid solicitors should have.
Empathy and people skills
The legal profession is not an abstract practice. Cases involve people, and it’s the lawyer’s job to get a good grasp of their client’s case. How they performed academically in law school may show their analytical skills. They must know how to read others, be persuasive and empathetic since they work with people. Their decisions will affect people’s lives, so they must also be someone who will work with their client’s best interest.
When they need to face the jury during litigation, they must be perceptive enough to gauge these people’s reactions. Also, they need to interrogate witnesses, so it would be of great help to assess these witnesses’ honesty. These skills will allow him to find the best approach to achieve the client’s desired outcome. Aside from that, these skills will also come in handy when negotiating with the opposition.
Excellent communication skills
Your legal aid solicitor should also be excellent in oral articulation and written communication. They need to establish the case by writing an Affidavit Complaint. They will also need to write your defenses when drafting a reply. In both cases, their excellent writing skills can help you persuade the prosecutor or tribunal of the merits of your case. If the person reading the affidavits and replies understands the narratives, it’s easy for them to get your point.
Plus, when they need to interpellate witnesses and present the case before the jury, they need to sound prepared, persuasive and moving. When they’re arguing with the opposition’s lawyer, they also need to argue with point and gusto. They can only do this if they have excellent communication skills.
Good judgment
There are times when the lawyer is presented with a limited set of information. In this case, they need good judgment to draw logical, reasonable assumptions or conclusions from a limited set of facts. They must to critically consider the assessments they drew to anticipate the weak points of the argument. In the same vein, they also need to spot the weaknesses in their opponent’s arguments, so they can raise these points while the hearing is on-going. A sound judgment also allows the lawyer to know when and what to object during the opponent’s interpellation and deliberation.
Aside from these three qualities, a winning legal aid solicitor should have excellent analytical skills and a ‘go-get-it’ attitude. The client’s life, liberty, and property are at stake, so they should be willing to fight with all their might. After all, in a legal battle, there is no other way than to win the case. This is the only time one can say that justice is indeed served.