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Location of solicitor

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rainyday52

Member since
April 2023

450 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 9:08amReport post

First post so I'll keep it brief and save any angst and ranting for now!

Son living with us whilst on bail for iioc offence, usual bail conditions re living away from home and not being on his own with any under 18s including his own children.

He needs to find a solicitor/barrister and my question is whether to find one near to us or near to where his home is and where his arrest took place - or doesn't it matter? I know he will incur extra costs for travel etc on court days, if he finds one near to us (3 hours away from his home) but is there an advantage in having one near where you are living so you can have face to face meetings? He is well used to doing things on zoom but (being rather old fashioned perhaps), it just feels a better fit to me if you're actually in the same room for preparing/discussing the case. Plus easier to get in touch if they become elusive! Or doesn't it really matter either way? I know I'm overthinking things.......

Bye for now and thank you for any opinions/personal experiences etc!

BaffledB

Member since
July 2021

876 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 10:31amReport post

Hey Rainy,

I would say the most important thing above all is to find a solicitor who listens, is engaging and you feel good about. Quite hard to list the qualities but it's such an important part of this journey to have good representation and you know within the first minute of speaking to someone (even just over the phone) whether they're going to do their best for you. I don't think meeting face to face is that important if Zoom is an option. We had great representation in the initial arrest interview and it went downhill from there to the point it almost affected his case before he went up before the jury so I had to complain and luckily he was allocated a brilliant new barrister. Having someone experienced with these types of cases is very important too.

I spoke with many solicitors over the months leading up to court and even just from phonecalls I knew I didn't want to trust them with our case. Do your research and find someone you feel confident with above all else x

Edited Tue April 11, 2023 10:32am

loulou74

Member since
September 2022

255 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 2:10pmReport post

I don't think it matters. A lot of contact was by phone or video calls anyway for my husband. His solicitor was local to us and he saw him in court but I don't think he had any other face to face meetings with him. His barrister I don't think was local, but any face to face meetings were on day of court.

rainyday52

Member since
April 2023

450 posts

Posted Tue April 11, 2023 3:19pmReport post

Many thanks, both of you. This advice gives us freedom to find someone that appears to be a good fit without being restricted to a smaller choice based solely on location! Now to find something new to obsess over - trying to feel more in control of something basically uncontrollable!!!

Daffodil

Member since
March 2022

965 posts

Posted Fri April 14, 2023 7:07amReport post

Post deleted


Edited Tue October 24, 2023 9:12am