How to Find an Attorney
How can you find the best lawyer for your needs? Choosing legal services is like choosing any other product or service: the wise consumer conducts focused research before making an informed decision. Once you secure several lawyer referrals with expertise in the appropriate practice area, you should carefully research each candidate.
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Bankruptcy
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“It is a pleasant world we live in, sir, a very pleasant world. There are bad people in it, Mr. Richard, but if there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” ~ Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
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Interview Your Options
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Lawyer Referral Services
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One of the best ways to assess a lawyer’s legal ability is by interviewing them. Many attorneys will provide an initial consultation for free. Below are a few questions to consider:
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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. |