When thinking about hiring an attorney, it’s only natural to have concerns – especially during these unpredictable and unprecedented times. Your worries may relate to the attorney’s availability and capacity, their costs, and the worry of being disadvantaged by preferential treatment.

While those concerns make sense, some of them can be put at ease!

First, regarding the availability of your attorney, it is worth acknowledging that there is a shortage of experienced criminal defense lawyers in Oregon currently. This undoubtedly may raise concerns about whether the attorney you hire will have the time to dedicate to your case and keep up with communication. However, you can count on your attorney to be there when you need them most. As they are hired help, they have agreed to take your case with a professional understanding of what that entails and have made the informed decision that they can do so (with their availability in mind).

Second, it is inevitable that cost can be an incredibly important factor that comes into play when hiring an attorney. As costs for basic goods are soaring to new heights, it is no surprise that financial stress is at an all-time high for many people. In the event of requiring an attorney, some of the worries may relate to not knowing how much the process is going to cost – and the unknown can be stress-inducing. You can rest easy knowing that the initial intake or consultation is often free.

The subsequent fees involved depend on the case and charges, but that’s what the consultation is for! You can get a clear answer on what costs to expect before committing.

Lastly, a natural worry is that the “bigger” cases that an attorney has will be prioritized over smaller ones, such as yours. This may be due to the understanding that more complex and intensive cases can cost more (as they require more work and time). Criminal defense lawyers care about the outcome of their client and are committed to trying their best to achieve the most favorable one. Because of that, each one of their cases is important to them, regardless of the size.

It’s understandable to have concerns when thinking about hiring an attorney. As explained here, there is some very valid reasoning and logic behind many of these common fears; though, it has also been explained why some of these fears may be owed some relief!

If you are on the fence about hiring an attorney for any reason, consider booking a consultation to talk through some of these worries and have your questions answered. This could provide the peace of mind you need, and help you move one step closer to having a good attorney on your side when you need them.