Tips For Finding A Skilled Attorney

Hiring a capable lawyer can give you peace of mind during highly stressful legal proceedings. How can you know if your attorney knows their stuff? Follow these simple tips to find a skilled attorney for your legal needs.

Delve into their Background

Delve into your prospective lawyer’s background to better understand if they can serve you and fulfill your legal needs. Skilled attorneys generally have attended reputable law schools. Ask about their schooling. Inquire into how many times they took the bar exam before they passed it.

Does the lawyer have experience in handling cases like yours? Seasoned attorneys can handle emotionally charged court cases with ease. Don’t hire a lawyer unless they have a proven track record winning cases similar to yours.

Dig deep to discover if the attorney has been reprimanded in any way by a governing body. Everybody makes mistakes but if you note a particularly heinous offense or if you see a pattern of discretions you may want to look for another lawyer.

Pick a Lawyer from the Right Niche

Select a lawyer from the proper niche. If you’re going to court to get divorced you wouldn’t hire a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy. An attorney who handles personal injury would be a poor lawyer to handle a bankruptcy case. Pick someone who specializes in your niche.

Find Referrals

One of the best ways to find a trusted attorney is by looking around for referrals. Smart litigants ask their friends and family for any suggestions. If you trust a friend or family member you’re far more likely to trust the attorney whom they recommend. Ask co-workers for lawyers who they’ve worked with successfully.

You can also ask attorneys who’ve handled prior cases if they know a good lawyer who specializes in the niche you’re interested in. Asking around for referrals helps you land a good match through powerful word of mouth marketing.

Use the Internet

Researching lawyers through blogs, social networking sites and online forums can give you the confidence you need to make the right decision for you. Web savvy lawyers usually run blogs and may also have a Facebook Fan page published. You can identify both successful attorneys and less scrupulous lawyers by trawling through online forums related to law.

Both good and bad reviews spread like wildfire online. Cruising the web for a few hours offers you enough information to form a watch list of potential attorneys you can choose from.

Do Not Hire the First Lawyer You Meet

Be patient. Speak to a few lawyers to establish contrast between their presentation styles. Some older lawyers may actually have less trial experience than younger lawyers. Some hotshot young lawyers may be skilled in the courtroom but lack the humility to handle your type of case in a calm, successful light. Speaking to multiple attorneys offers you a watch list to work from. This prevents you from making a rash decision which hurts your chances of winning your case.