Choosing the Right Lawyer

by | Dec 20, 2014 | Financial Featured

Law 19 You can hire a lawyer for a variety of needs, including settling a divorce, writing a will or making a legal claim for personal injury. Having legal representation is important to make sure you understand and effectively navigate through the complex court system. Hiring a lawyer is one of the best ways to protect your rights.

Reaching Out to Connections

When searching for a lawyer, your first plan of action should be consulting your inner circle for connections. This may include friends, family, and colleagues. Even if a friend’s lawyer does not have the specific expertise you need, lawyers have their connections too. Your friend’s lawyer may know of a great professional for your situation. If you cannot find a lawyer through your inner circle, your next step is to contact local bar associations. Although bar associations have a list of lawyers, there is nothing distinct from bar association lawyers from other lawyers besides their affiliation with their local bar association. Looking into your local bar association is advised because of their list of resources, not necessarily because the lawyers in that association are any better. After exhausting your connections and your local bar associations you may want to consult the web with caution. There are dozens of resources online to find a lawyer. Be warned that you may want to look into online sources with a reliable rating system or review system on each lawyer. This can help you determine how well the lawyer is in handling specific problems before hiring them.

The Size of The Firm Matters

Before choosing a lawyer to represent you, make sure you consider the size of the firm. Large-scale problems may require support by larger firms. If you are a small business owner looking for someone to negotiate your store’s lease, a smaller firm may be able to do the job better if not just as well. Keep in mind that letters or remarks from larger firms may carry more weight in the eyes of your legal opponents. After narrowing down a list of lawyers and before you do an initial consultation, you need to do some homework on your candidates. Look at each lawyer’s website and determine how professional his or her online brand looks to you. Afterwards, check his or her track records or how they did in specific cases. You can find this information through subscriptions to certain services or checking your local law library for the same records at a lower price.

Ask Relevant Questions

During your first meeting with your lawyer candidates, make sure you ask many relevant questions about your situation and the lawyer’s practice. Some questions you may want to ask the following: What are similar cases you have handled and what were their results?, Are there any limitations to representing the case?, How will you remain informed about the progress of the case. Although a lawyer may charge a fee for an initial consultation, do not rule him or her out because of this. Many potential clients use free consultations for legal advice rather than looking for a suitable lawyer for their case and needs. Be sure to ask any lawyer whether the initial consultation fee will be charged to the bill immediately or later on.

No matter what your legal needs, sometimes the lawyer at the best price is not always the best lawyer for the job. Remember, research is essential to finding a suitable lawyer whether you are looking into his or her background or interviewing him or her in person. Quality lawyers always come at a cost, but it is possible to get a great lawyer that makes the best bang for your buck.