At one point or another in your life, you are probably going to need a lawyer. It doesn’t matter if it’s for something simple like drafting a contract or something more serous like defending you in a car accident you had, helping you get alimony from your ex husband or wife, or even helping you with other personal matters. The law and everything that revolves around it, can be a confusing thing, which is why it’s so important to have someone by your side that understands the law, your rights as a person, and how to help you efficiently. When it comes to finding a lawyer though, it’s quite difficult just because of the sheer number of lawyers available and each one practices something different, has a different number of experience years under the belt, fees, costs, etc. If you want to find the right lawyer for your case or you just want to ask them some common legal questions, take a look below at some of the things you should be considering when it comes to finding the right lawyer.
The Right Lawyer
One of the most important factors you need to remember about a lawyer, is that they are just that – a lawyer, someone who is meant to keep you safe and keep you in the loop. You don’t want the same attributes in a lawyer that you would want in a friend. Instead, you want to find someone that you can have a professional relationship with, someone that can treat you on a professional manner and someone that can follow the “Nevers” list. The Nevers list is a list of things you never want to see, have, do or be with a lawyer. You can find that below:
Selecting an Attorney – Never List #1
Never pick a lawyer based solely on a TV or radio ad. Notice: I’m not saying these guys are bad lawyers, I’m saying that just because he/she is enthusiastic, overzealous and on TV, doesn’t automatically make them a good lawyer. In fact, a lot of the time when you bring that kind of a lawyer into a courtroom, it’s not going to impress a judge by any means. These ad TV lawyers are good for some things, perhaps private settings, but not in some grand case.
Phonebook Ad Lawyers – Never List #2
When you look in the phone book, you see a lot of different ads, if you see one for a lawyer, think about turning the page. Lawyers are professionals, and the most professional ones are probably not be going to be wearing a clown suit on a full-page ad for legal aide. Don’t get me wrong, the phone book is a great place to advertise, but it might not necessarily be a great place to find a lawyer for a more serious injunction.
One of the best places to find a good lawyer is to start by asking your friends and family, as well as people you work with – unless it’s a private matter of course. One of the even more beneficial ways to find a lawyer or at least whittle down your list once you get a handful of them on your list, is to check out the internet. You might be surprised at just how many lawyers these days are doing the Internet thing and social media. See if you can find their fan pages, groups, twitter accounts, websites, etc. Also, consider looking at review sites like Yellow Pages, Yelp and Angie’s List. The internet usually tends to be a pretty transparent please – don’t get me wrong, people do lie, but if someone is a really bad lawyer, and you dig just a little bit, chances are you will find out and then you will be aware that this is not the lawyer for you.
Ask For References
As with any business when dealing with a professional, you should and can ask for references from your lawyer you are considering to hire. References work quite well for you, the potential client, because references will be able to tell you things you might not otherwise be aware of; courtroom tactics, how well they know the law, do they have good judgment or bad judgment, were they ever late for an appointment or for a court case? These are the things you are going to need to know when you hire a lawyer. If a lawyer won’t or can’t give you references or you want to find some of your own references, make sure to look at specific places where people may have dealt with your lawyer i.e.; if you own a business in NJ and looking to hire a business lawyer in NJ, contact one of the local chambers of commerce to see if he/she has a good relationship or persona with the local businesses in your community.
