How and Where To Find a Good Lawyer

While a lawyer may be the last thing on your mind when you are dealing with a minor issue, these experts do come in handy during complex legal matters. Lawyers do more than provide legal information, they advise and use their skills to solve legal problems. Hiring a lawyer involves picking a specific attorney who specializes in the legal matter you are faced with. Choosing the right lawyer, just like having strong evidence and a valid case, will impact on the outcome of your case. Here are a few tips on how and where you can find the appropriate lawyer for your situation.

How To Find A Good Lawyer

Before you know where to find a lawyer, you need to know what to look for or how to find the right one for you. There are certain general considerations to make before you decide to hire a lawyer:

A Clear Fee Structure: A good attorney should have a clear structure of their fees to help you figure out if you will be able to afford their services and to inform you what you will be getting from your money.

Good Communication Skills: A good attorney should also have good communication skills. It is important that they update you regularly about the progress of your case.

Good Reputation: A good attorney's reputation precedes them. Review their education background and experience. Also, perform a background check to determine how they have fared in their cases and if they have been complaints of misconduct against them.

Credentials: A good attorney is licensed and has strong credentials. Every lawyer who has been admitted to the bar is qualified to practice law. However, it is more reassuring to go for those with specializations, credentials such as an LLM in tax law (Masters of Laws) or an AEP (Accredited Estate Planner).

Solo Vs Small and Large Firms:When choosing a lawyer you must consider which law firm they are working for. Some law firms have one attorney while others are staffed with hundreds of legal personnel and lawyers. A solo firm is run by one lawyer. Solo attorneys mainly specialize in a single area of law but may still handle various topics of law. Solo lawyers are considered less expensive than large practices, and are normally preferred for personalized attention. However, solo firms might lack the resources or experience that large firms possess especially if the lawyer recently acquired their practicing license.A small law practice has between 2 to 100 lawyers. One of the major benefits of small law firms is that your lawyer can exchange ideas with their co-workers when a complicated legal issue arises. A firm with multiple lawyers is also capable of handling a broader range of topics.Large law firms have between several dozens of attorneys to a few thousand workers including attorneys, paralegals, and administrative staff. Large law practices normally employ lawyers in various practice areas and have the benefit of serving both individual and corporate clients. Large law firms are associated with large bills but a higher level of expertise.When considering which law firm to pick your lawyer from, attorney Robert Hamparyan advises people not to compromise on quality because of price. This means, for minor cases and where you require personalized service, a solo law firm will be the ideal place to get a lawyer. On the other hand, for high stake cases like murder or aggravated assault, it may be better to go for expensive large law firms that have the expertise and resources to give you the best legal representation.

Where to Find a Good Lawyer

Personal and Business Referrals:

Seek out people in your community who have gone through your experience. For example, if your lawsuit involves assault, talk to people who have been assaulted and question them about their lawyers and how they performed in their respective cases. Alternatively, you could seek referrals from businesses that deal with your type of case. For example, if you are case involves business law, speak to your banker since they may have come into contact with these type of lawyers.

Lawyer Referral Services

Another good way to search for lawyers is through a lawyer referral service. These services must be approved by the state's bar association. However, some of these services are not thorough in their vetting process and may list any attorney who has a good reputation with the state bar without any further considerations. A good lawyer referral service screens lawyers and only features those with specific qualifications and experience in their lists. Before you consider looking into the list of lawyers in a referral service, determine what criteria they use for including an attorney in their database.