Finding the Right Lawyer
Finding the top lawyer who will best serve your needs is an important task. Just because someone hangs a license on the wall to practice law, they may not necessarily be the right attorney for matters that apply to you. It is well worth your time to do some investigation before you select a lawyer to represent your interests.
Areas of Focus
Make sure the lawyer you hire is the lawyer you need. In other words, if you need a criminal defense lawyer, don't hire an estate lawyer, even if he is an old family friend. Same thing is true the other way around. Don't hire a criminal defense lawyer to set up your trusts. You want to make sure you have the right specialist to meet your needs. Tort law is far different from property law. Make sure your lawyer regularly practices the kind of law you need.
Experience
How many trials have they had? Have they even won a jury trial? How many clients with cases like yours have they represented? How many motions have they filed and argued dealing with issues like yours? Have they ever appealed decisions to higher courts? You want a lawyer who has been regularly dealing with issues like yours for years. If you need a DUI lawyer, does your potential attorney have experience in chemical testing and understand blood tests and breath tests to determine BAC?
Be Cautious of Phonebook Advertising
Don't pick a lawyer based on a television or phonebook ad. Now, random choices from the phonebook might lead you to a good lawyer. The reason you never want to proceed this way is that there are simply much better ways to go about finding a good lawyer than random chance based upon what catches your eye in the phonebook.
References
As with any business, word of mouth is the best advertising. It is also the best way for you to find out who has done well-or poorly-for people whose judgment you value. Granted. this can be tough, especially for the legal field. Due to attorney/client privileges and confidentiality, as well as the understandable privacy interests in legal matters, many of the best legal jobs and relationships are never spoken of. But, references is a place to at least think about.
Using Google and other Search Engines
Even with all the potential resources out there, you may get stuck when it comes to finding the right lawyer for your needs. Here's where the Internet is a godsend. Search engines can be utilized to find lawyers in your area who focus on your area. This can be a springboard for your research.
Don't Make a Decision Based on Price
Just because the lawyer is cheap, doesn't make him or her the right lawyer for you. Just because the lawyer is more expensive doesn't mean she or he is better. The more experienced, but fair lawyer is what you want.
Case Load
Your lawyer needs to be focused on your case and have the time to truly address your specific needs. If they have a large case load, meaning they have tons of cases, then they are obviously extremely busy and less likely to focus on your needs. If their prices are super low, it could very well be that they are offsetting that with a large caseload. You don't want to be just a number. You want a lawyer who really is enthusiastic about researching all your issues, fully analyzing your case, and formulating a strategy to defend you.
Legal Assistants
If your attorney doesn't have help, that means they are handling all the remedial issues for every case. How can they then remain focused on the legal and strategic issues? When you meet the lawyer, did they have somebody out front to assist you? When you call in, did they have someone answer the phone? Obviously, you have to be careful when making these observations. Sometimes the legal assistant may simply be stepping outside for a break. Additionally, you may be calling the lawyer's cell phone and thereby skipping the legal assistant. At our law firm, our staff is very helpful and skilled.