How to Choose an Attorney Wisely

Choosing an attorney to hire can be a difficult process, you need to know what to look for to ensure that the lawyer you hire is not only good at his job but is also within your price range. Knowing what makes a good attorney is difficult in it’s own right, with all of the television and radio commercials for attorneys that guarantee results, it can be difficult to know what makes an attorney good. So how do you find and choose a good attorney when you need one? Well, keep reading to find out: When looking for a lawyer, remember that you need a lawyer and not a buddy. Don’t dismiss a potential attorney just because he’s not the friendliest person. This is a business relationship and should be treated as such, be sure that you’re receiving professional treatment but don’t expect a buddy-buddy friendship. Keeping this in mind there are several things that are absolute don’ts when looking for an attorney. Don’t believe television ads, a lot of ambulance chasers produce slick looking television commercials that involve terrible acting and “guaranteed results”. Any lawyer that guarantees a positive outcome is not a lawyer you want to hire. Lawyers should be able to give you a prognosis of your case and your chances of winning, but no attorney can predict the future. Television lawyers tend to be frowned upon in the courtroom due to the fact that they tend to be more style and less substance. Don’t find a lawyer from the phonebook. These days, this should be pretty much a given. Unlike television ads, most or all attorneys will be listed in the phone book so it’s possible to find a really good lawyer in the phonebook. The main reason you don’t want to find an attorney in the phonebook is because there are easier ways to look. Now that we’ve gotten the don’ts out of the way let’s talk about what you should do. The best place to start when looking for an attorney is to talk to friends and family members. Find out if they’ve had a good experience with a certain lawyer. References are important because they’re coming from a trusted source, unlike online reviews, which could be posted by the attorney’s office itself, or possibly negative reviews from their competitors.

Use search engines to find a good attorney, Google is a great resource for finding a lawyer because you can link directly to their website and often see an aggregate review score on the Google results page. Visit the lawyer’s website and check out what they specialize in. If they don’t specialize in the type of law service you require then just move on. Different types of law can vary greatly, from how to approach the case to the importance of the information that is received so be sure to find an attorney that specializes in the type of law services you require. Now that you’ve found a good lawyer, be sure to talk to him about the charges and fees necessary to hire him. This includes the retainer and hourly rates along with payment options. If you can’t afford them, don’t hire them. The last person you want to come after you for unpaid debt is a lawyer. Finding a good attorney can be a difficult process, but by knowing what steps to take, it can be easier. Take these steps into consideration when looking for an attorney and you will greatly increase your chances of a positive outcome. Stacey Schmidt is the lead counsel for the divorce and family law team at Schmidt and Gladstone. The team at Schmidt and Gladstone work hard to ensure that all of their clients get a fair and favorable outcome. For more information, please visit http://www.schmidtgladstone.com/.