Sometimes life sends us complications that we need more help than what we can give ourselves. If you happen to find yourself in a situation where you need a legal team, it’s good to know a little bit about how to find and hire a good lawyer.
What kind of lawyer should I hire?
That depends on why you need a lawyer. Whether they are a disability lawyer, bankruptcy lawyer, or maybe auto accident lawyers or maybe another kind of legal team all together, lawyers work within their expertise and know exact details so that they can efficiently get a case to a hearing and convince a judge or jury or both to be on their client’s side.
What are some good questions to ask a lawyer when looking to hire?
- How much experience do you have?
Direct questions are best when talking to a lawyer. Ask how many cases he or she has ever handled that are similar to yours and find out how many have turned out in their favor. - Do you have a lot of connections?
A well connected legal team with a good reputation can be beneficial to you. If you need to see a further specialist, your lawyer should be able to refer you without trouble. - Do you have other clients currently in this industry?
This question is similar to the experience question, mentioned earlier, however, it’s good to know if your lawyer is currently involved in similar cases because that could actually help you if he or she is currently researching knowledge that will help you and it is fresh in their mind. However, on the other hand, be wary if you find that the lawyer you are interviewing represents one of your competitors especially if you are going through a business legal situation. - How are you teaching skills?
A good attorney will take the time to teach you and educate you on what you need to know and any pertinent issues. - How flexible is your billing?
If you like all the other answers and aspects of the legal team you are interviewing, this will be the determining factor. With so many lawyers to choose from, most lawyers will be open to negotiation, so it just depends on what works for you. Knowing how lawyers usually bill their clients is helpful information.
- Hourly or per diem rate
- Contingent fee which means they get paid based on the outcome of the case.
- A flat fee rating
- Monthly retainer which is where you consistently pay a lawyer to basically be on call for you.
Value billing which is also called partial contingency.
Now a few questions that you should ask yourself about the lawyers you are interviewing.
- Do I understand this lawyer?
You do not want to get stuck with a lawyer that does not communicate in a way that is comfortable for you. The right lawyer will communicate, talk and explain instead of just simply telling you what you can not do. - How convenient are the location of the offices?
You may love the lawyer but if the offices they work out of are to far from you, you will quickly tire of the traveling that wastes your time. - Do I get along with this lawyer?
Following your gut when dealing with people is a good idea. You want to make sure you can trust your lawyer and have a good connection with them.
Where to Begin?
The American Bar Association’s website and others have a lot of information about hiring lawyers. You can find information on all kinds of lawyers whether public service or commercial.
Now you have pretty much all the information you need to get started on hiring a lawyer. With this useful information you should not have any problems procuring a good lawyer that will be able to help your case gain hearing or whatever it is that your specific case needs.