Before choosing an employment law solicitor it's important to put in your background research. Draw up a shortlist of a number of possible solicitors and don't just plump for the most convenient.
Find an employment law specialist - A number of solicitors practise in a number of different areas depending on the needs of their clients. It is useful to build up an ongoing relationship with your current solicitor but they may not be the best person to offer employment law advice, in which case it's normally best to go with a specialist. They will be more familiar with the ins and outs of employment law and almost certainly provide you with a higher quality of service.
Finding a candidate list of Employment Law Solicitors - It is of course possible to find a solicitor in your region using Yellow Pages or a similar directory, however Employment Law may not be their strength. There are now several websites such as armchairadvice.co.uk and employment-solicitors.co.uk which are focused on Employment Law and will help you to locate a solicitor who specialises on this topic.
One link:
Search the internet for their name - Nowadays, most individuals and companies leave a trace online. If you've got a specific solicitor short listed it's always worth performing a quick search on their name. It might bring up news stories of other cases they have been involved in before. Similarly you might find that they have written some helpful guides to employment law online showing their expertise in this area.
Ring the reception - Inevitably when dealing with busy professionals like solicitors you might have trouble contacting them directly. If you have a legal practice in mind it's always worth contacting the reception before you hire the solicitor. If the receptionist seems friendly, approachable and reliable on the phone, that bodes well if you become a client of theirs. If they are unhelpful when you talk to them as a potential customer it's worth steering clear.
Can you meet with them easily - It's not good if you have to wait a long time to arrange an initial appointment with the solicitor. Whilst high quality professionals are always going to be in demand, especially in a specialist area like employment law, you will need to be in regular contact with the person representing you and you need to know your case is going to a high priority for them.
Few samples:
Arrange a face-to-face meeting - It's vital to meet a potential solicitor in person before committing to their services. You are relying on them to represent you so it's important you aren't intimidated by them and feel comfortable talking. It doesn't matter how highly recommended someone comes, or how much of an expert they may be, if you do not have a good working relationship you may be wasting your time.
Let the solicitor explain the law to you - You might well have done a lot of research into your case prior to approaching a legal firm. Even so it's good to let potential solicitor explain their interpretation of the law. Not only will their expert insight help you understand the law better it will also give you a better understanding of how good the solicitor is at expressing themselves which is important if your case goes further.
Don't be scared of talking about costs - You wouldn't buy a new car without finding out how much you need to pay for it. Don't be afraid to approach the subject of costs early on. You might be certain you've found the right person but it never hurts to ring around and speak to other firms to check the costs are competitive.
Finding an Employment Law Solicitor should be a quite straightforward process. If you think about your method beforehand and follow these tips it can make life much easier in the long run.
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