Gathering Leads
- To begin the search for a lawyer, it is best to ensure that
you have first found the type of lawyer that you are looking for.
Depending on your legal issue a general lawyer or certain type of
specialist will be most appropriate. Straightforward and common
cases that lack complexity can often be handled by a general and
litigation lawyer experienced with cases such as yours.
Specialists are more suited to deal with specific fields of the
law and understand the precise laws which are important to your
case. To find out more about the different issues with which
specialists deal, please check out the descriptions provided by
each link on the left navigation bar. For further assistance,
contact your local bar association with questions concerning
specialization and your specific needs.
- When selecting a lawyer, do not necessarily be swayed by an
attorney or firm that is heavily advertised. Many successful
lawyers rely exclusively on referrals. Therefore, firms that
advertise are often, but not necessarily, struggling for clients,
indicating poorer performances. Further, a lawyer and firm can
quickly become stretched to capacity with clients, so bear in mind
that the attorney or firm you call may simply refer you to another
firm that is unrelated to the advertisement that originally
interested you. While you should not automatically discount any
advertised legal services, it is best to be wary of the claims
they are made about them.
- Referrals are one of the best ways to select a lawyer. When
you begin to search for an attorney it is often helpful to
question family and friends to determine if they have had positive
experiences with a specific lawyer. Talking with previous clients
can give you an idea not only of how successful this lawyer can
be, but also how well they work with clients and how available
they are during the legal process. If your issue is personal
in nature (divorce,
adoption,
child custody issues), asking friends who have had similar
legal issues is useful. If your situation is business
related or if it relates to a
contract dispute of business law, referrals from your banker
or a close business associate is more appropriate and will save
you time in the search process.
- The reputation of a lawyer within the judicial system is an
exceptionally important aspect to the probability of a successful
outcome for a client. For example, if you are expecting to go to
trial with a case, an opposing attorney who understands that your
hired lawyer will provide a great case on your behalf is more
likely to settle out of court, and often with more generous terms.
Unfortunately, the reputation of a lawyer is perhaps the hardest
type of information to attain about him or her. If you have a
trusted general attorney or friend involved in the legal field,
recommendations from these sources should be regarded most highly.
- If the law firm or attorney has a well-designed website, you
can learn quite a bit about the firm's areas of specialization,
educational background and even the kinds of cases they have
handled. Keeping in mind that an attorney must be licensed
to practice at the state level and that many large firms are
licensed in multiple states, you can find websites in this
directory,
organized by state and by area of
legal specialization.
Evaluating a Lawyer
- Membership with the local bar association is the first
qualification to investigate. A bar association serves to both
regulate the legal profession and help its members. In the
majority of states within the USA, membership is mandatory to
practice law. In the remaining states, membership is voluntary.
Voluntary membership is a good sign as it indicates that the
lawyer both qualifies for the association and takes an interest in
staying abreast of new developments within the legal field.
- In addition to a local bar association, many qualified lawyers
also hold memberships with certain associations or organizations
specifically formed for their legal field of interest. Such a
membership is a good indication of an invested lawyer dedicated to
excelling in an area of the law. Positions and publications are
even better signs that the attorney whom you are considering stay
informed within and really understands their field.
- Experience with your legal issue is perhaps the best predictor
of success when searching for a qualified lawyer. When searching
for an attorney ensure that the one you select has practiced
within the legal specialty applicable to your legal needs
- Look at the size of the firm as well as the legal specialties
of other members of the firm. If the firm has distinct
specialties or departments, with certain attorneys assigned to
each area of specialization, you can feel much more confident that
the attorneys in the department related to your situation, are
well qualified in the legal area. This does not mean that an
attorney who is not part of a large firm is in any way less
effective, just that it would be difficult for one person to be an
expert in a large number legal specialties at the same time.
If the sole practitioner has only one or two narrow areas where he
or she practices, that attorney will probably not accept cases
related to other specializations. For example, an
adoption lawyer would probably not accept a case involving a
patent dispute, since intellectual property law is a fairly
highly specialized area.
|
|
