Criminal lawyers
Criminal matters are where urgency is absolute: the first hours after a police station call or a court summons decide options that no later effort recovers.
The duty lawyer moment
If you are detained or summoned, you are entitled to a duty lawyer before answering. Saying little until your own lawyer arrives is not obstruction — it is how the system is designed.
Choosing your own
The court-appointed lawyer is a right and often competent; your own lawyer brings availability and continuity through appeals. For anything beyond a minor matter, having your own is the sensible rule.
Victims' side
As a victim of theft, violence or fraud you can appear with private prosecution rights that shape the process. Specialized victim-support services in the city coordinate with lawyers and are free.