All attorneys attend law school and pass the bar exam. This ensures the lawyers you find online or in the phonebook have a wide range of legal knowledge. If you have an issue you need to resolve, though, you want a lawyer who has some relevant experience.
The practice of law allows attorneys to expand upon their knowledge base over time. While a novice attorney may be effective, a seasoned lawyer in the practice area you need may give you better results for at least three reasons.
1. This is not their first rodeo
Whether you need an attorney for bankruptcy, divorce, child custody or something else, you want your lawyer to have seen your problem before. Even though a new attorney or one who practices in a different area may be able to read up on the law, there is no substitute for the experience that comes with handling similar matters over and over again.
2. The mistakes are in the past
Because lawyers are human, they occasionally make mistakes. You do not want your matter to be a lawyer’s lesson, though. If you work with an experienced attorney, you can assume he or she has made mistakes in the past. An experienced lawyer learns from mistakes and does not continue to make them. Furthermore, experience allows attorneys to spot issues quickly during your free consultation.
3. They know the players
While it is not essential for your attorney to have a broad network, working with a lawyer who knows the players may be invaluable. That is, if your lawyer is familiar with judges and opposing attorneys, he or she may be able to better predict your odds of winning. Your lawyer may also know what it takes to settle your matter favorably.
There is no shortage of attorneys who may be willing to take your case. Ultimately, though, when you work with an attorney who has relevant experience, you usually boost your chances of receiving the outcome you want.