The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Youth Criminal Justice Act afford young people the same due process rights given to adults, including the right to legal counsel. However, there has been little empirical investigation of how lawyers represent adolescent clients or of the factors affecting youths’ evaluations of their lawyers and lawyer–client experiences. Insight into these issues is important in light of the potential legal and social ramifications of young people's appraisals of lawyers and their services. In the present study, 48 young offenders were interviewed regarding their experiences with defence lawyers, to examine the factors associated with young people's perceptions and evaluations of lawyers and the lawyer–client exchange. Results indicated that perceived fairness and various factors (some of them interpersonal) of the lawyer–client relationship were related to young people's satisfaction with their lawyers. Youths’ views about lawyers did not predict their satisfaction, and no client-specific or outcome-related variables were found to affect young people's appraisals of their lawyer-related experiences. Findings are discussed in terms of procedural justice theory as well as of their practical implications.