If you are involved or potentially involved with the court system, you may have thought about how to find a lawyer. You might be facing bankruptcy laws, need help defending a distracted driving charge, or need some divorce advice. A lawyer is more than just someone who stands up and argues in court. An attorney is also a source of legal advice, a strategic planner on your side, an experienced negotiator, and a technical expert in legal matters.
- How to find a lawyer: ask around. If someone has had a good experience with any sort of professional, they are usually willing to talk about it. Of course, you want a lawyer who is expert in your particular type of case. Ask around in the right circles. If you know some people who have had successful divorces, those are the people to ask about a divorce attorney. Don’t just make a decision based only on someone’s recommendation, however. This is just a first step, and you may not find one with the precise expertise you need.
- How to find a lawyer: check online. These days online reviews make it possible to find out a lot more about any professional than it was in the past. There are referral services and online databases that can point you in the right direction. It’s also possible to check the track record and credentials of any lawyer you might be interested in hiring. You can also call your local bar association and double check that any lawyer you’re interested in has a good track record with them.
- How to find a lawyer: talk to several personally. A lot of lawyers will be willing to talk to you for a few minutes at no charge so that you can get to know them a little bit. It never hurts to “shop around” in this way. You want to feel personally comfortable with prospective attorneys, and you want to make sure they are understanding what you say and is willing to work with you. Ask about rates and look for lawyers who are up front about them right from the beginning.
- How to find a lawyer: ask about areas of expertise. The law is so complicated that it’s rare, if not impossible, to find any one lawyer who is equally knowledgeable and competent in all areas. If a lawyer’s practice is too general, he or she might not have the depth of knowledge to really do well with your case.
Most of the time, we don’t really want to think about how to find a lawyer because we don’t want to be involved in a legal dispute. Legal issues happen, though, and when they do it’s a good idea to know in advance what to do in order to find a good one.
