How to Look for a Good Lawyer

It's not always easy to find a great lawyer who can help you with your specific problem. Don't think that you can find a good lawyer by reading an ad or looking online for a local lawyer. You can't make a rational decision based on what you find in these sources.

Lucky for you, you have other choices. Here are some tips that can help.

Personal Referrals

Talking to people in your community who have had the same problem as you is the right way to manage it. For example, if you have a claim of sexual harassment, you could talk to a women's group. Find out who their attorneys were and what they thought of them. If you talk to six people who have been in a similar legal situation, you'll probably get a few good leads.

But don't choose a lawyer just because someone else told you to. The way a lawyer acts and acts himself will affect different people in different ways. You should decide whether or not to hire a lawyer after you've met him or her, talked about your case, and decided that you and the lawyer can work well together.

Also, personal advice might not help you find a lawyer with the right skills. For example, if your friend had a great divorce lawyer but you needed help with incorporation, the referral wouldn't be very helpful. Don't give up right away, though. You could call the divorce lawyer and tell them that they come highly recommended. You could also ask if the office uses a certain business lawyer. You could find the right match.

Web services

There are many sites that let you find local lawyers based on where you are and what kind of legal case you have. You give some information about yourself and answer a few questions about your case. James Gardner Hopkins, a lawyer who specializes in the area you need, will get in touch with you.

Business Referrals

Businesses that work with key players in the area of law you're interested in might also be able to point you in the direction of good lawyers. Talk to your accountant, insurance agent, or real estate broker, for example, if you need help with small business law. Because they work with business lawyers a lot, these professionals can usually make good decisions about them.

Services for finding a lawyer

Another source of information is a lawyer referral service. Even though they have to be approved by the state bar association, there is a big difference in the quality of lawyer referral services. Some services that find lawyers for you do a thorough job of screening lawyers and only list those with certain qualifications and a certain amount of experience. Other services, on the other hand, will list any lawyer who has liability insurance and is in good standing with the state bar. Before choosing a lawyer referral service, find out what an attorney has to do to be included and how they are screened.

But a lawyer referral service might not give you any information about the lawyer's beliefs. For example, you won't know how the lawyer talks to people and how they handle cases.

It can be helpful to work with a lawyer who already knows the field, such as employment discrimination, zoning laws, software design issues, or restaurant licensing. So, you can take advantage of the fact that the lawyer is already a long way up the learning curve. Even if a specialist costs a bit more, it is often money well spent.

Talk to the people who want to be lawyers.

When you have a list of good prospects, the next step is to talk to each one of them in person. If you tell them what you need ahead of time, many lawyers will be willing to meet with you for a half-hour or so for free so you can get a feel for them and make an informed choice.

Personality

Pay special attention to how well you get along with your lawyer. Even if a lawyer has a lot of experience and comes highly recommended, you might never have a good relationship with them if you don't feel comfortable with them during your first meeting or two.

Trust your gut and look for a lawyer who has a personality that fits with yours. Look for someone with experience, a good personal relationship, and easy access.

Talking and being on time

You want a lawyer who will work hard for you and make sure all tasks are done on time. Ask each lawyer how you can reach them and how long it will take for them to get back to you.

Don't skip this step, even if the lawyer is friendly and easy to talk to. Most busy lawyers have systems in place to make their work easier, and they'll appreciate it if you follow them.

Unfortunately, the complaint logs of all groups that oversee lawyers show that many lawyers are terrible at communicating. To be fair, though, some clients have unrealistic expectations. Even though it's best to hear from your lawyer within 24 hours, there's usually no reason to worry if you have to wait a few days to talk to them on the phone or get an appointment. Most lawyers have to balance time in the office with time in court, so please be patient with them.

But anything longer than a few days is often not necessary. At the very least, the office should call you and tell you what's going on. Attorneys know that nothing is worse for a client than waiting weeks or even months for something to happen. They also know that waiting too long could hurt your case. If your calls aren't being returned, you might want to hire a new lawyer to avoid being in this situation.