Most of us look for a lawyer when we’re already in a difficult situation. This adds stress and makes it even harder to quickly find a qualified attorney. Picking the right lawyer is hard because everyone prefers to find a person who is competent, trustworthy, reliable, and reputable. Moreover, a client has to be confident that his or her attorney will be able to win the case. On top of that, there are over 1,3 million lawyers in the US alone. (1)
With that said, how do you know which law firm or lawyer is the best option for you? To guide you through this process, we’ve put together a couple of tips that will help you find the best lawyer near you.
The first thing that you need to do when looking for an attorney is to check whether a particular lawyer is competent, experienced, and at a location near enough to where the court will be held and where you live. He or she also needs to be up to date on applicable laws for that region, state, or country and be able to start working on your case as soon as possible. Lastly, the lawyer you choose has to have a good track record and a public online profile that you can easily find.
Know When You’re Talking to a Great Lawyer
Before looking for an attorney online or hiring one, you should know when you’re talking to an excellent lawyer. Here are the necessary qualities:
- Possesses up-to-date legal knowledge.
- Has a good professional history.
- Offers great problem-solving skills.
- Is a great negotiator.
- Knows how to listen.
- Is passionate about every client and case.
- Former clients gave him good reviews.
- Experienced in various forms of litigation.
When picking a lawyer to represent you, make sure he or she has all of the qualities listed above, in addition to the experience in the form of litigation your case demands. Moreover, they should take you seriously and have a professional online profile. Hiring an incompetent or unethical lawyer is something you should avoid at all costs, not just because of the damage such an attorney can do, but also due to the lengthy and relatively complicated processes required when filing a complaint or making a case against them. (2)
Search for Attorneys Online
Instead of beating down doors and calling around, look for an attorney online. This will save you lots of time and effort while giving you the best results. By going online, you can quickly and easily compare a large number of different attorneys and what they have to offer without leaving the comfort of your home. Think of all the stress and wasted time in meetings you can avoid this way.
Searching online for lawyers near you or in your city is going to net you hundreds if not thousands of results. For example, a state like New York has 177,035 registered lawyers, California 170,044, and Texas 90,485. (3)
Although the sheer number of results you get might be overwhelming, you shouldn’t worry too much because you can always easily narrow your search down with additional filters and then go over attorney profiles with more detailed information.
Taking your search online is also an excellent way to find specialized lawyers that you would otherwise have never found. You might need an attorney who’s a specialist in family law, work-related injuries, or car accidents, and you can find them all easily online.
Don’t Forget to Search in Your Area
As we mentioned above, searching online will give you thousands of results, so it’s important to check relevant filters and narrow down your search based on location. You could also use a database of attorneys that splits up entries based on country or city. Luckily, the best lawyer directories (4) all have these features and often many other ones, such as the ability to rank attorneys based on referrals. When you find an attorney that’s in your area and where the case will be heard, it’s always much easier and quicker to meet.
Begin Your Search for a Lawyer Today
As you can see, there’s no need to prolong hiring an attorney, as it’s so easy to do a search online and get a list of the best lawyers in your area.
Just remember that vetting a couple of your top choices will be necessary, but using our guide and the tips found inside, you will be able to get the most for your money. Besides that, not all lawyers, even the best ones, will be right for your case. It is important then that you ask many questions. However, an excellent attorney is usually just a couple of clicks away.
REFERENCES:
- https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_population_15_higher_than_10_years_ago_new_aba_data_shows
- http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Complaints-Claims/How-to-File-a-Complaint
- https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2018/05/new_aba_data_reveals/
- https://www.lawyerlegion.com/promote-your-law-practice/directory-of-attorney-directories/