Some Tips Before You Choose an Attorneys

(Newonvinyl)

By:

Team of Hukumindo

Previously, the Hukumindo.com platform has talk about "Variety of Fees When You Hired an Attorneys in Indonesia", read also "How To Check The Validity of Indonesian Advocates?", "What Legal Ties Underlie The Relationship Between The Client and The Lawyer?", and on this occasion we will discuss about 'Some Tips Before You Choose an Attorneys'.

Choosing a lawyer to take care of your legal problems can be tricky. This is due to the relatively large stock of lawyers in Indonesia, especially in big cities like Jakarta. There is even a joke that there are more lawyers' offices in Jakarta's economic center triangle (Sudirman-Kuningan-Thamrin) than tire repairmen. In choosing a lawyer, here are some tips from the Hukumindo.com platform.

Check His/Her Validity As an Advocate

The profession of advocate in Indonesia is regulated in Law Number: 18 of 2003 concerning Advocates. In Indonesia, advocate is defined as: "Advocate is a person whose profession is to provide legal services, both inside and outside the court, who meet the requirements and based on the provisions of the Law on Advocates".[1]

Based on the provisions of Articles 2 and 3 of Law Number: 18 of 2003 concerning Advocates, there are several legal products related to proving someone as an advocate:[2]

1. Letter of Appointment as an Advocate (Issued by advocate organization); and
2. Certificate of Oath as an Advocate (Issued by Head of the relevant Provincial High Court);
3. Advocate membership card (Issued by advocate organization).

When you are in Indonesia and have the intention to use legal services through an advocate, it is very important to choose a legally-valid lawyer. Checking the advocate validity you will choose becomes a necessary so that there will be no losses occur in the future. So, its alright to ask your advocate about their validity such as: (a). Letter of Appointment as an Advocate, (b). Certificate of Oath as an Advocate and (c). Advocate membership card, for your safety.[3] This is done to ensure that the person you choose is legally valid to carry out the profession as an advocate. The benefit is that you will avoid the practice of middlemen and professional fraud.

Check Your Legal Issue

First, check the weight of the legal problem you are facing. If you are facing a death penalty charge for drug smuggling, then you are in serious legal trouble. When compared to previous legal issues, the charges for corruption that are stalking you will feel lighter. Or maybe you are being stalked with a bankruptcy lawsuit that strips you of all your assets, it feel lighter than the previous one. Or maybe you are facing family problems because your spouse wants a divorce and take away all your children? It feel lighter than the last.

Of course you know how heavy or light a legal problem you are facing, but when you choose a lawyer to assist you in solving this legal problem, this grade of 'weight' problem will determine.

Check His/Her Core Competent

Advocates in Indonesia are commonly generalists. They handle almost all cases, from criminal to civil. It would be better if you choose an advocate who has a core competent. Such advocates will more easily understand your legal problems and offer solutions that have become their daily food when practicing. 

In Indonesia, advocates have started to pioneer the specificity of their profession, some focusing on bankruptcy, corruption, civil litigation, family law, sharia economic, company law, intellectual property rights and so on. 

Check His/Her Flight Hours

Check how long he has been appointed as an advocate. Even further, check since when he has been in the world of legal services. Has he ever organized while he was a student? Or had he had an apprenticeship before being appointed as a lawyer? 

The longer he/she is in the world of lawyers, the better his flying hours will be. Check where he/she used to work to gain knowledge, law offices where he/she worked previously will shape his/her character and flying hours. And of course, asked what cases he/she had handled mostly, the more cases he/she handled certain similar cases, the better his/her competence would be.

Check His/Her Reputation

You can find complete information about the lawyer you will hire by using technology online or by calling your local bar association. Currently, with the massive internet, you can find initial information about the advocate you will hire on the Internet, from bio data, alma mater, cases he has handled, and so on. Or you can ask the reputation of a lawyer, if you get a certain recommendation from someone else, by asking to that person. 

Meet Your Candidate

This is the last tip from us, meet your prospective lawyer. Feel the chemistry. Feel the aura. By meeting, potential advocates can also assess your seriousness in hiring them. You can also judge many things from your potential advocate.

Meet, there's nothing wrong with having coffee and chatting with potential advocates and potential clients. If you have chemistry, then of course it will be followed by the signing of a power of attorney and a legal service agreement. After that, lets run the case.

You can add other things such as the price, the outfit he wears, or other things that are important to you. But in our opinion, the things above are quite important for you to pay attention to. Check the things above before you sign the power of attorney and legal service agreement. And if you have any issue with this topic, contact us, feel free in 24 hours, we will be glad to help you.

*) For further information please contact:

Mahmud Kusuma Advocate

Law Office

Jakarta - Indonesia.

E-mail: mahmudkusuma22@gmail.com

_________________

References:

1. "How To Check The Validity of Indonesian Advocates?", www.hukumindo.com., Diakses pada tanggal 10 Februari 2022, https://www.hukumindo.com/2021/10/how-to-check-validity-of-indonesian.html

2. Ibid. 

3. Ibid.