Where Do I Find the correct Attorney?

So where do you start? The first step to finding a lawyer isn't deciding how to locate the lawyer, but what lawyer you're after and what lawyer you really can afford. First, decide which area of expertise you would like your lawyer to concentrate on; is your problem related to family relations, intellectual property, injury, employment, bankruptcy, business, property etc.? These are just some examples, but there are lots of specialisations and niches lawyers cover, and it's best to look for a lawyer that is most qualified to deal with your problem, rather than a lawyer that is a jack of all trades. This is also why it's likely not better to employ a friend or perhaps a family member who's an attorney, his or her specialization may not cover your issue to the full extent essential to win the case.

The second decision you have to make, is what you really can afford, this will immediately narrow down your research either to low quality lawyers, no win free lawyers, or high-end retainer fee lawyers. The price of an attorney doesn't always mean a much better a lawyer, however based on Amy Rees Anderson, founder and Managing Partner of REES Capital: “-nothing will be more expensive than hiring cheap lawyers, and absolutely nothing could be more painful than hiring the wrong ones.”

1. Legal Aid

If you are well on a financial budget and need inexpensive legal aid, there are some options you can root for. You can try looking to legal aid societies, you can visit a law school, you are able to contact your county or state bar association, you can check out government website's options, or you can take matters through small claims court, which most governments make pretty easy on their local government websites. There's even an EU version. Your last option is of course representing yourself in the court, which isn't always allowed, but for small matters is seldom disregarded.

If legal aid isn't your cup of tea and you're serious regarding your legal situation, then hiring the right lawyer regardless of cost should be a priority.

2. By Referral

The best way to find the right lawyer is by word of mouth or referral. Ask your pals or colleagues who have been in the same situation who their lawyer was, what team they hired or where they searched for their lawyer. Through getting a referral you'll frequently get unbiased feedback and comments on the lawyer which your friend or family member has no vested interest in, financial or otherwise. This will hopefully provide you with a mixed box of suggestions based on reviews you can trust.

This may also be the fastest and much more reliable method of finding a lawyer. By asking a friend or family member, you will have some context from the work they've done, be able to obtain their contact details fast and easy, and have a starting place when it comes to contacting the lawyer.

3. Your local high street

Some people prefer to deal with their lawyers regularly as well as in person. If this is you, you might want to find a lawyer that is super local to you, so heading into town, googling local lawyers, or looking one in your local phone book are viable options. Finding a lawyer that's readily available in a moments notice can eliminate a few of the hassle of handling a lawyer, for example emailing, phone calls and scanning/printing documents to sign.

Your local lawyer may not be the best, but probably the insufficient complexity can compensate, and also you don't want to be travelling in to the city every time you need to speak to them in person. Remember you still have the option to thoroughly research local lawyers, by searching for online reviews or asking local businesses about the subject.

4. The Internet

The internet is most likely your biggest resource for finding the right lawyer, albeit the greater intricate and long-winded option. You'll easily be in a position to narrow down the region of expert knowledge, the locality and the price, though this can take time and savviness. For those that manage to look out of Google Ads and flashy websites, finding the right lawyer online will be the optimal course of action.

On another hand, there are some reputable sites in addition to government sites, that offer directories of lawyers, often with reviews and comments from clients or peers. Some of these might be 'paid for' listings, so be cautious. Actually, Ken Callander, the Managing Principal at Value Strategies, recommends ignoring just about all attorney rankings and lists which are publicly published: “Many of those lists derive from peer ranking – which translates into, 'I'll recommend you for a list if you recommend me with this other list.'”

• The Law Society
• The Solicitors Regulation Authority
• UK
• US
• FindLaw
• Avvo
• Martindale

Besides making sure that your lawyer is your friend, or at least has some extent of client care, and is not just in it for the money and success, make sure that your lawyer is a great communicator. With regards to large firms and teams, this is seldom a problem, however when you are looking at private practices and individuals, communicating updates and difficulties is often an issue. This is mostly because they are distracted by servicing legal work for several clients at a time. Communication between both you and your lawyer is vital in almost any legal situation, whether they're filing a trademark for you personally, or helping you buy a property; make certain your lawyer responds for your emails, calls you when necessary and does their best to make sure you're aware of what's going on.

Callander says: “If you send a note for an attorney saying you’re thinking about dealing with them and also you don’t hear back the same day, I'd hesitate hiring them.”

If you are searching for an attorney because you are wise and are conscious that, as Entrepreneur columnist Cliff Ennico puts it, “the fee an attorney charges you to keep get you started is just a small fraction of the fee a lawyer charges you to get you from trouble once it’s happened,” perhaps a general counsel or a multi-faceted team of lawyers are the priority options for you. Your future self will also be very grateful whenever a legal issue does appear. If hiring a firm, and for that reason an over-all legal team to pay for your back, usually of thumb, the bigger the firm, the wider coverage you'll when it comes to legal expertise, like a larger firm have a larger number of specialised lawyers at your disposal. However, in this case the overheads and therefore fees may also be bigger.

Sources:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/28/politics/donald-trump-lawyer/index.html
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2021/05/09/the-lawyer-bubble-pops-not-moment-too-soon/qAYzQ823qpfi4GQl2OiPZM/story.html
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http://www.statebarassociations.org/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-choose-a-lawyer-2164685
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/58326
https://firstround.com/review/Find-the-Best-Lawyer-for-Your-Startup-with-this-Off-the-Record-Advice/
https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Good-Attorney
https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2021/03/26/how-to-find-legal-help-when-you-cant-afford-a-lawyer
https://www.gov.uk/find-a-legal-adviser
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money
https://www.justice.gov/usao