If and when circumstances dictate that you must head out and look into the employment lawyers on the scene in London, the whole prospect can be a little unnerving to say the least. Not only do you have little to no knowledge of UK employment law in the first place, you also don’t know where to start when it comes to selecting a lawyer.
According to Hudson McKenzie, the success or otherwise of the vast majority of employment cases in the UK today comes down not to the actual circumstances of the case, but the way in which it is presented. As such, it’s safe to say that the importance of good legal representation cannot be overstated as without the right employment lawyer on your side, presenting the case in a manner that facilitates your success becomes difficult to say the least.
The good news however is that while it seems like a rather complex and convoluted process, making the right choice comes down to little more than asking the right questions. Any professional and reputable legal office will allow you to arrange a preliminary interview prior to going ahead, giving you every opportunity to ask the most important questions and make the most appropriate decision thereon.
So, with this in mind, what follows are five of the most important questions that should be asked during the initial meeting, regardless of the specifics of the employment case itself:
1 – What Is Your Area of Specialism?
First of all, it’s good to know in which areas of employment law the legal group specialises in for the simple reason that the subject is pretty extensive and varied to say the least. Exactly what makes the right choice will be determined by the specifics of your case – it’s all about finding the right fit for you and your unique circumstances. If, for example, there’s a dispute with a small business employer, you’ll be needed a very different representative than were you looking to take a multinational brand to court. Weigh up your needs and your circumstances, then find the perfect fit.
2 – How is Your Success Record?
The only thing a legal party has to go on in terms of being able to prove their abilities is their success rate – as in how often they’ve succeeded before when setting out to help a client. Needless to say, the different success rates you’ll come across are pretty eye-opening to say the least, with some having never lost a case in their lives and others still praying for their first win after hundreds of failed attempts. Of course, higher success rates generally facilitate higher price tags, so don’t be shocked when you note a direct correlation between past successes and rates.
3 – Explain Your Fee Structure
On the subject of costs, it’s important for the legal party to be as honest and open as possible from day one on the subject of fees and charges. There will always be those who put things off as long as possible along with those who come across as cheap only to sting you with a million and one added charges later on. You need to establish trust by finding out their fees and making sure this is the exact fee or hourly charge you will be paying – no hidden extras and no added premiums no matter what. And of course, you’ll be needing all of this on paper.
4 – Why Should I Choose You
You must remember here that it is you that is interviewing them for a job you have to offer, not the other way around. As such, it is up to them to plead their case to you and get across why it is you should choose them over anyone else. If they can’t be bothered to plead their case, what chance is there of them winning your case? If they can’t give a better argument than low prices, does this mean they’re cheap and useless? And if they resort to slating their rivals, does this mean they’ve nothing good to say about themselves?
5 – Can I Think About It?
Last but not least, there’s only one reason why any legal representative would ever try and rush you into making a decision – this being that they are desperate for your business and terrified you’ll find a better deal elsewhere. By contrast, any responsible legal party that actually cares about the outcome of your case and has confidence in their own abilities will never try to rush you into making such an important decision. After all, if they’re the best lawyer for the job, you’ll realise this soon enough and be back to seal the deal.