You should expect your lawyer to put you at ease, not to judge you, hold your conversations confidential, be creative and efficient in finding the right solution to your problem, be a competent negotiator to hear your situation in an objective manner, assist you in understanding potential scenarios, help you assess the pros and cons of existing legal options, help you in properly evaluating the risks involved and communicate with you clearly regarding what will happen.
In criminal proceedings, you should find out whether your lawyer possesses strong judicial experience and adequate legal knowledge of the charges you face or not.