Bigkarch
New member
finding the appropriate lawyer
the legal field is very diverse....there are civil, injury, bankruptcy, entertainment, family, estate, corporate, international, criminal, and few others that 98% of us dont understand and cant go through the court process by ourselves...its to difficult to understand for the lay person, with too many forms, files and info to provide...here is a guide on how to chose an attorney.... follow these steps to find a good lawyer to help you with your legal issue.
If your legal problem is complex or involves lots of money, you might not want to attempt to handle the entire matter without a lawyer. After all, lawyers do more than dispense legal information. They offer strategic advice and apply sophisticated technical skills to legal problems. Ideally, you'll be able to find a lawyer who's willing to serve as your legal "coach" to help you educate yourself to the maximum extent possible and to take over as your formal legal counsel only if necessary. How to Find the Right Lawyer
Locating a good lawyer who can efficiently help with your particular problem may not be easy. Don't expect to locate a good lawyer by simply looking in the phone book or reading an advertisement. There's not enough information in these sources to help you make a valid judgment. Personal Referrals
A better approach is to talk to people in your community who have experienced the same problem you face -- for example, if you have a claim of sexual harassment, talk to a women's group. Ask them who their lawyers were and what they think of them. If you talk to half a dozen people who have had a similar legal problem, chances are you'll come away with several good leads.
But don't make a decision about a lawyer solely on the basis of someone else's recommendation. Different people will have different responses to a lawyer's style and personality; don't make up your mind about hiring a lawyer until you've met the lawyer, discussed your case, and decided that you feel comfortable working with him or her.
Also, it may be hard to find lawyer through a personal referral with the expertise you need (for instance, if your friend had a great divorce lawyer, but you need incorporation advice, the referral may not do you much good). Nolo's Lawyer Directory
Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law. Nolo has confirmed that every listed attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with their bar association. Every attorney has taken a pledge to communicate regularly with you, provide an estimate of the time and cost involved, and provide you with a clear, fair, written agreement that spells out how they will handle your legal matter and how you will be charged. For more information, see lawyers.nolo.com. Business Referrals
Businesses who provide services to key players in the legal area you are interested in may also be able to help you identify lawyers you should consider. For example, if you are interested in small business law, speak to your banker, accountant, insurance agent, and real estate broker. These people come into frequent contact with lawyers who represent business clients and are in a position to make informed judgments. Lawyer Referral Services
Lawyer referral services are another source of information. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are required to be approved by the state bar association. Some lawyer referral services carefully screen attorneys and list only those attorneys with particular qualifications and a certain amount of past experience, while other services will list any attorney in good standing with the state bar who maintains liability insurance. Before you choose a lawyer referral service, ask what its qualifications are for including an attorney and how carefully lawyers are screened.
What you may not get from any lawyer referral service, however, is insight into the lawyer's philosophy -- for instance, whether the lawyer is willing to spend a few hours to be your legal coach or how aggressive the lawyer's personality is. Other Sources
Here are a few other sources you can turn to for possible candidates in your search for a lawyer:
The director of your state or local chamber of commerce may be a good source of business lawyers.
The director of a nonprofit group interested in the subject matter that underlies your lawsuit is sure to know lawyers who work in that area. For example, if your dispute involves trying to stop a major new subdivision, it would make sense to consult an environmental group committed to fighting urban sprawl.
A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law.
A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.
Consider a Specialist
Most lawyers specialize in certain areas, and even a so-called "general practitioner" may not know that much about the particular area of your concern. For example, of the almost one million lawyers in America today, probably fewer than 50,000 possess sufficient training and experience in small business law to be of real help to an aspiring entrepreneur.
the legal field is very diverse....there are civil, injury, bankruptcy, entertainment, family, estate, corporate, international, criminal, and few others that 98% of us dont understand and cant go through the court process by ourselves...its to difficult to understand for the lay person, with too many forms, files and info to provide...here is a guide on how to chose an attorney.... follow these steps to find a good lawyer to help you with your legal issue.
If your legal problem is complex or involves lots of money, you might not want to attempt to handle the entire matter without a lawyer. After all, lawyers do more than dispense legal information. They offer strategic advice and apply sophisticated technical skills to legal problems. Ideally, you'll be able to find a lawyer who's willing to serve as your legal "coach" to help you educate yourself to the maximum extent possible and to take over as your formal legal counsel only if necessary. How to Find the Right Lawyer
Locating a good lawyer who can efficiently help with your particular problem may not be easy. Don't expect to locate a good lawyer by simply looking in the phone book or reading an advertisement. There's not enough information in these sources to help you make a valid judgment. Personal Referrals
A better approach is to talk to people in your community who have experienced the same problem you face -- for example, if you have a claim of sexual harassment, talk to a women's group. Ask them who their lawyers were and what they think of them. If you talk to half a dozen people who have had a similar legal problem, chances are you'll come away with several good leads.
But don't make a decision about a lawyer solely on the basis of someone else's recommendation. Different people will have different responses to a lawyer's style and personality; don't make up your mind about hiring a lawyer until you've met the lawyer, discussed your case, and decided that you feel comfortable working with him or her.
Also, it may be hard to find lawyer through a personal referral with the expertise you need (for instance, if your friend had a great divorce lawyer, but you need incorporation advice, the referral may not do you much good). Nolo's Lawyer Directory
Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law. Nolo has confirmed that every listed attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with their bar association. Every attorney has taken a pledge to communicate regularly with you, provide an estimate of the time and cost involved, and provide you with a clear, fair, written agreement that spells out how they will handle your legal matter and how you will be charged. For more information, see lawyers.nolo.com. Business Referrals
Businesses who provide services to key players in the legal area you are interested in may also be able to help you identify lawyers you should consider. For example, if you are interested in small business law, speak to your banker, accountant, insurance agent, and real estate broker. These people come into frequent contact with lawyers who represent business clients and are in a position to make informed judgments. Lawyer Referral Services
Lawyer referral services are another source of information. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are required to be approved by the state bar association. Some lawyer referral services carefully screen attorneys and list only those attorneys with particular qualifications and a certain amount of past experience, while other services will list any attorney in good standing with the state bar who maintains liability insurance. Before you choose a lawyer referral service, ask what its qualifications are for including an attorney and how carefully lawyers are screened.
What you may not get from any lawyer referral service, however, is insight into the lawyer's philosophy -- for instance, whether the lawyer is willing to spend a few hours to be your legal coach or how aggressive the lawyer's personality is. Other Sources
Here are a few other sources you can turn to for possible candidates in your search for a lawyer:
The director of your state or local chamber of commerce may be a good source of business lawyers.
The director of a nonprofit group interested in the subject matter that underlies your lawsuit is sure to know lawyers who work in that area. For example, if your dispute involves trying to stop a major new subdivision, it would make sense to consult an environmental group committed to fighting urban sprawl.
A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law.
A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.
Consider a Specialist
Most lawyers specialize in certain areas, and even a so-called "general practitioner" may not know that much about the particular area of your concern. For example, of the almost one million lawyers in America today, probably fewer than 50,000 possess sufficient training and experience in small business law to be of real help to an aspiring entrepreneur.