Useful Tips For Finding The Right Lawyer

Even though everyone should have a few legal contacts on their phone, not many people have these professionals in their corner. This is a big risk because a crisis can strike at any time of day and cause big legal issues for you. However, no matter what happens—divorce, injury or crime accusations—when you have the right lawyer on speed-dial, you can save yourself a lot of trouble. So here’s how to find the right legal professional for you:

Examine your case

There are many reasons why a person might need to hire a lawyer—personal injury, family affairs like divorce, estate planning issues, child support problems, all sorts of criminal violations, etc. Make sure to first study your particular situation and then you can start your search for your best lawyer.

Do your homework

Do some research to get familiar with the basics of what lawyers do and how they do it. Different fields of law divide lawyers into generalists (familiar with several fields) and specialists (focus on a small group of cases). These distinctions are important to understand because they help you find the right person for your specific case and personal needs.

Ask for referrals

One of the easiest ways to find a lawyer is to go to your family, friends and colleagues for referrals. You might be surprised to hear how much your closest people know about the law and how many times they too needed to battle legal issues in the past. Your relatives can be especially helpful since they probably went through some family legal battles or estate-planning complications. Consult with them and you’ll get several contacts of specialist lawyers who can dedicate their expertise, experience and time to your case. It’s important to choose someone willing to make the law simple and stress-free for you, and that’s something specialist lawyers excel at.

Pro tip: take everything you hear with some reservations. There are many fields of law, so your case might not be suitable for every lawyer and every situation. Just because your sister had good experiences with someone, it doesn’t mean they will automatically be perfect for you as well.

Check out online postings

There are countless websites offering organization surveys and legal counselor audits like LegalZoom, Avvo and Rocketlawyer. There are even websites like LawHelp that help low-income individuals find legal help. These websites are usually reliable and full of helpful information.

Visit your local library

Martindale-Hubbell is a directory of lawyers available for free at your local library or law library. This is a great source of authoritative information on legal professionals worldwide. You will get an online lawyer locator service with over 1 million lawyers from 160 countries, and you can search by practice or location.

Have thorough consultations

Many lawyers want to attract new clients so they offer free consultations. This practice allows you to sit down with your potential lawyer and talk a little about your case. Make sure to ask questions about them to remove any doubts you might have. Basically, consultations are like a job interview that allows you to learn about your representative and make sure you’re getting an expert that’s right for your case that can even help you protect your business from legal issues. Make sure to prepare a list of questions in advance to make the most out of your free consultation.

Review your financial plan

It’s safe to assume that you’re not willing to go bankrupt over your case by spending thousands on a lawyer. Review your budget and look for lawyers you can afford, so make sure to ask about the firm’s billing procedures. Most attorneys work by the hour, but other billing methods are gaining popularity. See what other charges you might expect like travel charges, expert fees, postage, copying, etc. Of course, don’t make your decision on cost alone, but it’s something you definitely need to consider.

Follow your guts

Your lawyer needs to be a person you like working with. If a lawyer makes you feel awkward or unsafe, do pick someone else. Additionally, pay attention to how well your lawyer treats your case—if you notice that they don’t take good care of your needs and often resort to delays, it’s time to find someone more professional.

If you make the most out of your recommendations, use all online sources available and do thorough consultations, you will find a firm that will be there to meet all your needs and leave you feeling completely protected.