The magic word works wonders!

[Verity]

Guys,

There are solicitors and barristers who go the extra mile for us so can those who have been successfully acquitted make sure they thank their team and let them know they are appreciated with a thank you card and an xmas card.

I'm given to understand there have been a few, who have walked away free men due to the unpaid hours of work and effort of said teams without a backward glance to say "thankyou".

As RF can testify to; the 'apparent' lack of appreciation or gratitude is somewhat disheartening for those who fight to protect our freedom from those who
conspire to deprive us and our families of that rightful freedom and family life.

A small gesture of thanks goes a long way in keeping the morale and fighting spirit up with solicitors and barristers and will benefit future falsely accused clients especially now that the 'reforms' imposed on legal aid mean these folks are not being paid to do much of the work needed to mount a solid defence for their client.

They thank you.

[Faith]

Brilliant post Verity. Completely agree. I had two solicitors during my case and took the time to thank them both with cards and a phone call...it actually became apparent that they were genuinely surprised for this to have happened. I thought that it would be the norm.
It certainly should be.

[daki]

How do they put in extra effort? Could you please explain this

[Faith]

Many solicitors go above and beyond the call of duty on cases, working hours upon hours putting a case together. Particularly those on public funding; they make a lot less money than they used to, and a lot less than some solicitors still demand, and yet still go that extra mile.

When you think of what's at stake...if these people walk away with their life back intact when it could have gone so wrong...would that have happened without the legal team. That alone, deserves some acknowledgement. It doesn't take much; a card or a phone call of thanks would do.

Granted, not ALL legal teams go the extra mile, that's very true. But you have Gerry and Nerida if I recall correctly, so when this goes right for you, I think they will have earned a thank you card You can bee assured they will be working very hard on your behalf.

[Verity]

@Faith. Thank you so much for posting your reply to Daki's curious, to say the least, post.

My first thought on reading: "How do they put in extra effort? Could you please explain this"; Was.........

AAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

Followed by much hair pulling out of.

So thank you for putting it much more politely than I would have done.

@Daki: If you have sat back all this time and not given your defence team the info they need to be able to go the extra mile for you, how can you expect them to?
They are not mind readers.

Also saying thank you for anyone's hard work is a matter of common courtesy...
I would have thought.... or may be I'm an anacronism in this selfish, self-centered world of ours.

[daki]

I am not familiar with the legal process and what counts as extra work so as to know if my defence are on point

It's common sense and common courtesy to say thank you and to ask a question if you don't understand

[RFLH]

verity - I think your post was uncalled for - how much about the legal system did you know before it affected you?

I wouldn't have dreamed of thanking the useless twonk we had - booze up, organisation and brewery spring to mind.

[Rights Fighter]

Some of the sols and barristers I am in touch with go well beyond the call of duty. Sometimes they get the wrong result - this is not their fault and they can sometimes be very upset and bewildered as the rest of us.

An appeal failed on the 25th April and the barrister and sol were very upset - in fact the barrister was very angry - not necessarily because he had lost but because he KNEW our man is innocent and KNEW that appeal should have succeeded.

The barrister delivered the paperwork to my home yesterday, Sunday and a Bank Holiday weekend and he lives nowhere near me at all. This is taking 'going out of their way to assist' far and above the call of duty.

Few people take the time to send a card to sols and barristers when cases have failed, even when they know that the sol/barrister have put absolutely everything into it and done all they possibly can and more. It means even more when that happens.

RFLH nobody would expect you to thank the pillocks that neglected to tell your ex that his trial had been brought forward so he was several hours late. This is not what V was suggesting.

[daki]

That makes sense RF, I understand regardless I agree if you are not convicted you should say thank you and send at least a card it's the least you can do.

I totally get it I was a little bit confused as to how you know they are actually grafting behind the scene as you have the experience so it's easier for you to tell
I had a solicitor initially that told me how good he was and how hard he worked and at the last minute suggested I plead guilty for a crime I am innocent of

[Rights Fighter]

Solicitors who tell you how good they are usually are not that good at all. Good sols and barristers do not need to trumpet their successes far and wide neither do they need to tell potential clients that they are the best or one of the best.

You can get an idea of who is good by

how they listen to you

take note of what you say

if what you say is not helpful they will give an easy to understand explanation of why it is not helpful

they will contact potential witnesses - if they feel a witness you suggest will be no good they will tell you and explain why

They will be in regular contact with the CPS in relation to disclosure.

If the disclosure is not forthcoming they will argue with CPS and even attempt a court hearing to get a judge to decide

They will update you when there is something to tell you

-

You cannot expect a busy sol to answer each and every email or return every phone call - they have other clients and they have to attend to them. If you are lucky they will have some sort of liaison officer who will assist you with questions (that's my job)

[lawlessone2009]

Strangely enough, the best solicitors can at times be found through recommendation from those that work within the local court, the receptionist at the front desk for instance...

As for thank you and a card... Means far more than it costs.