In this day and age it's increasingly necessary to have a good lawyer at all times. With all kinds of lawyers out there, its hard to decide what kind you might need, as well as which is the most reputable, and how much you can afford to spend on the services of an attorney. There are a great many lawyers in just about every part of the country, and with a little research, it isn't very difficult to find one that suits your needs.
1. DEFINING YOUR NEEDS
It's important to know what kind of lawyer you want or need before you begin your search for an attorney. Obviously a divorce lawyer is a different thing than a corporate lawyer but let's get more specific. Do you need a family lawyer or a personal lawyer? Do you want a private attorney or a state attorney? Consider the reason you decided to get a lawyer in the first place. All of these things will play a part in your decision making process.
2. PREPARATION
Before you begin researching, take some time to consider a budget for hiring a lawyer because your options will, to at least a small degree, be dependant on the amount you are willing to spend. Some lawyers are more expensive than others and some lawyers charge in different ways. You should also make sure you have all the information on whatever case you wish the lawyer to look at ready beforehand so there is no confusion later. You will find that if you have everything done except making the decision, that decision becomes easier.
3. RESEARCHING LAWYERS
The best place to start your search is at the closest law library to where you live or work. When you get there, ask for a current copy of the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. This is a great tool that lists lawyers and their standings. You may not find the perfect lawyer in this location, but it's a good starting point for research. Here are a few other places you can use for researching lawyers in your area:
Use commercial websites dedicated to helping you find information on lawyers in your area.
Make sure any of the sites you visit are legitimate before you trust the information they provide. When a person loses a lawsuit they are most likely to blame their lawyer so you dont want to confuse accurate information with someone's angry rant.
Find Law is a great website that has a lawyer search that's easy to use. Find Law breaks lawyers down by state, city and the type of practice they have so you can easily find a lawyer to best serve you. To make your search easier you can enter your claim and your area in the search engine to get a list of lawyers instantly.
Lawyers.com is another great website where you can find a lawyer in your area. Lawyers.com also offers you to research legal information, find forms you may need in the legal process and read blogs written by the sites users.
Martindale-Hubbell not only offers a search engine to find a lawyer in your area, they also have a Peer Review system in which lawyers are rated so you can make a more educated decision when choosing a lawyer. Martindale-Hubbell also offers a dispute resolution toolkit to aid you in keeping a case from entering court.
The American Bar Association's disciplinary page gives you links to your states bar where you can find information on any disciplinary actions taken against the lawyer you are thinking of hiring. The ABA website also offers a legal help finder which lists lawyers in your area who are associated with the American Bar Association.
Your local courthouse will be able to give you information about finding an attorney and may be able to put you into contact with people that will help you further. Ask people you know for advice on good lawyers. Chances are most of the people you know, like yourself, need a lawyer. Non commercial government sites. A simple internet search can bring you tons of state, city and government sites that may be able to help you find a lawyer to suit your needs.4. CONTACTING LAWYERS
Once you've researched some lawyers, you'll want to either call them to set up an appointment or free consultation to discuss your situation. Most private lawyers will see just about anyone for a consultation, so dont be afraid to go and see a few different lawyers. If they charge simply for the consultation, you may want to look elsewhere.
5. CHOOSING THE RIGHT LAWYER FOR YOU
Since there are so many options when it comes to hiring a lawyer, you may want to write down some specific things you are looking for when you go to consultations. Here are some general guidelines you may want to follow when making a decision on hiring a lawyer.
Ask beforehand about contingency fees (if the fee is over twenty five percent be cautious), costs for telephone calls and meetings, and whether or not the lawyer keeps and turns in a time diary. This is a log of the time they spend on your case. In general your lawyer should keep one of these.
Get recommendations from lawyers you have spoken to about other professionals in their field, in addition to talking to people you know about their lawyers. Often if you decide not to do business with a certain lawyer that person will help you find another lawyer, or at least point you in the right direction.
Find out how experienced the lawyer you are considering is. If the fees are low and the experience is low you may not get the same results that a slightly more expensive but more experienced lawyer might yield.
How long does the lawyer estimate that your case will take? Compare this estimate with others you have gathered. If a lawyer that charges an hourly rate says your case will take twice as long as all the other flat fee lawyers are saying, you may want to reconsider your position.
Ask whether a flat fee or hourly rate will be charged. Based on your individual circumstance, either of these methods of payment may be best but its always a good idea to be informed about the options associated with both before making a decision and committing to one type of payment.
Take your personal needs into consideration as well when you make your decision on hiring a lawyer. You have to be able to communicate and work well with your lawyer just as your lawyer needs to work well for you.
If you require a specific type of lawyer such as a divorce lawyer or small business lawyer, it is even more important that you pay attention to the fees and charges.
Take all of the above into consideration and make a decision that satisfies your needs. It is often helpful to take a few days time to consider a decision such as hiring a lawyer as it can be a rather daunting task. But if you use the advice above, you should be able to find a lawyer who will meet your requirements and be the legal professional you need and can trust.
