How To Find An Attorney You Can Trust

Ask a friend or colleague to recommend an attorney particularly if they have had personal experience in hiring an attorney in the past.

Even better, if you know a lawyer, ask him to find a lawyer for you.

Honestly, state bar associations are regulatory agencies, not referral services.

You can find out whether or not a lawyer has had a disciplinary action. Many states have certifications that recognize a lawyer as a specialist in a certain area of the law. If you live in such a state, you can also find an attorney in your area with board certifications or special credentials.

Most state bar associations will not recommend a specific lawyer for your case.

Many of the same lawyers that advertise on television also take out huge ads in the Yellow Pages. If you choose to find lawyers in the phone book, call more than one.

Note that many of the firms that heavily advertise have no intention of representing you should you hire them. Their business model is to sign you up, refer you to another attorney, and collect a referral fee for their efforts. So, screen these attorneys carefully.

I wish obtaining a lawyer referral on the internet was as easy as going to Google and entering "Find Lawyer" or "Find Attorneys." But, it isn't. However, under certain circumstances, the internet can be a useful resource in your attorney search.

The search results will provide a list of web pages that return useful information including legal directories listing local attorneys and the personal web sites for the attorneys themselves.

You can usually find good, although biased, information about the attorneys on their website.

Sometimes, they will list news stories detailing their winning cases.

If you use google to find an attorney or law firm, you are likely to find news stories (good and bad) about the firm or prospective attorney.

So, do not hesitate to give it a shot.

Search multiple sites and compare information and call and speak to the first attorney on the list. You have a right to call and interview a potential attorney so do not be intimidate. You will find many of them friendly and interested in your case. You will probably be invited to visit with the attorney for a free consultation.

When you meet with the attorney, ask yourself whether you generally like the attorney.

Is he knowledgeable?

Does he care about your case or does he just want to sign you up and get you out the door?

What is his experience handling you type of claim.

If you don't feel comfortable with the attorney, you should continue your attorney search until you find a lawyer that makes you feel comfortable.

In the legal industry, the type of fee charged depends on (1) the difficulty of the legal problem, (2) the pleadings or other documents that must be created, (3) correspondence, emails, phone calls and live interviews, (4) the legal research, (5) court appearances, and (6) expenses.

Types Of Legal Fee Arrangements

Lawyers typically charge clients in one of the following ways:

Consultation Fee. If your attorney charges a consultation fee, find a lawyers that doesn't. You really should not be charged a consultation fee.

Hourly Rate. Here, the attorney bills you at an hourly rate. The rate may differ depending on the type of work the attorney is performing or who in the firm handles the legal matter (paralegal, law clerk or associate attorney).

Contingency Fee. In this type of arrangement, the lawyer takes a certain percentage of the recovery as his fee out of the amount recovered through a lawsuit or settlement. If you lose, the attorney gets nothing but you are still responsible for any expenses. Make sure the contingency fee contract details whether expenses will be deducted from the recovery before or after the lawyer's share is calculated.

Flat Fee. This is based on the type of legal matter, such as the preparation of a simple will, power of attorney, or personal bankruptcy where the time involved is predictable.

How do I keep legal fees under control?

To ensure that your legal bill does not spin out of control, have up front discussions about fees, expenses when you first find an attorney.

The amount an attorney will charge will depend on the amount of legal work you want or need and the attorney's expertise in that field. Save money by doing some of the evidence and document gathering yourself in consultation with your attorney. If your attorney is not amenable to this type of an arrangement, find a lawyer that will do so.

Finding a lawyer is not easy. But, if you do your research, ask questions and get your agreement in writing, you can minimize the chance of misunderstanding or inconvenience down the road.

If you know how to find a lawyer, you are well on your way to disposing of the most troubling legal issues.