Tips For Hiring A Lawyer

Hiring a lawyer for the first time? Finding a good attorney can be complicated and overwhelming.

Whether you are trying to resolve a business dispute, looking to hire a securities attorney, or file for bankruptcy, hiring an attorney is a vital decision that you must get right.

Not sure of how to find the best lawyer for your case?

We've got you covered. Here are five tips on how to hire a lawyer for your legal matter.

Get recommendations from friends and family

One of the best ways to start your search for a good lawyer is by getting recommendations from the people you trust. This may be a friend, colleague at work, or family member.

Aside from getting the lawyer's name and contact information, you should ask about his specialty. It is important that you hire someone who has relevant experience in the kind of law you need.

If you don't want anyone in your circle to know that you are looking for a lawyer, you can try out online sources like lawyers directories.

We recommend using directories that have ratings about each lawyer.

Research the lawyers on your list

The next step is to start researching each of the lawyers on your list. A good way to do this is by checking lawyers' review websites and Google reviews.

Also, you can visit each lawyer's website and social media page to see what people have to say about them.

If any of the names on your list have many bad reviews, you should consider striking the lawyer off your list.

You can use this tip to narrow down your list to three or four attorneys.

Book consultations with the attorneys

Contact the lawyers and schedule consultations with them. This step is essential when hiring a lawyer as it will help you make an informed choice.

Fortunately, most lawyers offer a free initial consultation so you can have a brief meeting with them without paying. During the consultation, you should pay attention to how polite the person is and whether you feel comfortable talking to them.

Additionally, you should engage the lawyer by asking questions about your case.

You can ask questions like:

Has the attorney handled a similar case, and what happened in those cases?

How will the person handle the case, and what can you expect?

Who in their law firm will be working on your case?

Can you contact them outside business hours?

How will they keep you abreast with the progress of the case?

Find out their fees

While you should not hire lawyers based on their fees, assessing their prices is also essential. You deserve to know how much the case will cost you. So you should ask them to provide a detailed breakdown of their fees. Furthermore, find out their fee structure. Do they charge a flat fee or an hourly rate? How does their contingency and retainer fee work?

Make a rational decision

Now that you have enough information about each potential attorney, the next step is to make an informed decision. Evaluate your experience with each of them and follow your gut in hiring a lawyer for your case.