When to seek and how to choose a lawyer
A lawyer can provide clients with advice regarding their rights and obligations, review documents, and prepare various legal documents. They can represent clients in court, in various governmental and non-governmental bodies, in notary offices, provide defense in criminal proceedings, and offer legal assistance to witnesses. In short, the scope of a lawyer’s activities is broad, and one can turn to them for any legal issue or simply when in need of consultation.
It is advisable to consult a lawyer in all cases where various contracts need to be signed, from acquiring an apartment through a mortgage or from a constructor to signing contracts for various services. It is also important to use legal services when going to court. There are many instances where people represent their interests in court on their own, missing all opportunities to conclude the case in their favor, or they seek a lawyer too late when they have nearly exhausted all legal options, having missed deadlines.
To choose a lawyer, one should first clarify the legal issue and find a lawyer who specializes in that area. One had better select a lawyer with a solid reputation.
If possible, one should follow and familiarize themselves with the lawyer’s work and check the feedback from their clients on social media.
“There have been cases where certain individuals have posed as licensed lawyers, abusing the trust of citizens and stealing money under the guise of providing legal services, but they did not provide any specific services and, in fact, could not, as they did not possess a lawyer’s license. To avoid such cases, one should check on the official website of the Armenian Bar Association whether the individual has a license and is actually a lawyer, or if their license has been suspended or revoked,” Tigran Grigoryan said during the latest episode of ABC Media’s “Orenachap” program.
The necessary conditions for an individual’s or society’s trust in a lawyer and the legal profession are the lawyer’s professional independence, integrity, honesty, and conscientiousness. Abusing trust is incompatible with a lawyer’s job.
“Violations of a lawyer’s professional ethics cannot be justified even by the argument that such a request was made or desired by the client or defendant. In their professional, public, journalistic, or other activities, a lawyer should avoid behavior that could undermine or compromise trust or respect for lawyers or the legal profession. This also applies to posts or materials shared on social media,” Tigran Grigoryan stated.
Watch the full episode in the video:
