William Welch III – Columbia Criminal Lawyer

What to Expect of Counsel

A lawyer should have experience in the area of the law that you need. Before you retain the lawyer, you should understand what your case involves, what the lawyer can do, and how much it will cost. I offer a free initial consultation for this purpose and to answer your questions. You should also understand your chances of success and remember that no lawyer can guarantee a particular result.

After you retain a lawyer, your lawyer should continue to answer your questions. Keep in mind that the investigation and research that your lawyer does in preparation of your case after you retain him or her will be more extensive than what would be done for the initial consultation. Circumstances can change during the course of a case. You may learn something, or you may change your mind about something. Any of these things may also change your lawyer’s advice and affect your chances. Your lawyer should keep you informed about developments in your case, and you should keep your lawyer informed too.

Remember that to achieve the best possible representation, you should be honest about your case and what you would like to do. As long as you do not disclose to anyone else what you tell your lawyer, it remains confidential. You must be willing to cooperate with your attorney fully and to provide the attorney all the information that your attorney needs to give you wise advice. Likewise, after you receive your lawyer’s advice about things such as whether a plea offer is fair, whether to go to trial, and whether to testify, your lawyer should respect your decision, even if you disagree with his or her advice. Only you can decide what risks and consequences are acceptable to you.