Tips on Finding an Attorney
If you, a family member, or friend need an attorney, how do you find the best one to
meet that need? Did you know that you can select an attorney the same way an attorney
would choose one to represent someone they care about? Below are some ways
that will be helpful:
- Check the peer review listings;
- Satisfy yourself that they (or their firm) can do what they say they can
do;
- Find out about their experience;
- Do they teach and publish articles/books;
- Are you comfortable with them;
- Remember lots of advertising does not a good lawyer make.
Can they do what they say?
Can the lawyer do what they say they can do? Do you expect them to do
the work? Can an attorney be all things to all people? These are questions you
should ask. No one lawyer can do everything well, although many can do many
things well. Does the lawyer imply they are expert in all areas? Do you need a
specialist? Are you considering a firm with several lawyers specializing in
different areas? Do they have adequate resources to handle your case? There are
good general practitioners who refer cases to specialists. In some states,
lawyers aren’t allowed to advertise their specialties, so you must find
out if the lawyer specializes in the area you need. Are they just collecting and
farming out cases? Some lawyers advertise to collect cases, and don’t expect to
work on the cases themselves. They just send them to someone else. There is
nothing wrong with referring a case to a specialist as long as the case gets to a
good lawyer, but you should know at the outset what to expect. Wouldn’t you
want to know who you are hiring?
Experience
What is their experience? How many cases like yours have they handled
successfully? What is their record? Often the best lawyer for you is a hometown
lawyer. They know the local system and all the court personnel. The idea that an
"out of town" lawyer is better is often just wrong. What do they charge? Ask up
front. Choosing an attorney, like choosing a surgeon, based on who charges the least
makes no sense. On a case where the lawyer charges on a contingency fee, (no fee
unless recovery) you are usually better off with an experienced successful lawyer
than one who charges a smaller percentage. What you ultimately receive because
of their skill, rather than the percentage they charge, is the important factor.
Ultimately you should try to answer these questions in order to match your
needs with a particular lawyer:
- When you met with them, were you comfortable with them?
- Did they answer all your questions in a straightforward, honest
way?
- Do they seem to really care and want to help?
Once you make up your mind, put your trust and confidence in the lawyer unless
they breach your trust.
