How to Choose an Attorney

If you are having legal difficulties, you may have to face some tough legal decisions. If you were involved in an accident then you may have to decide whether or not to file criminal charges or sue the other party. If you have a small business and you were involved in a bad deal, then you have to decide whether it is worth the time and money to seek a legal solution. There are no clear cut answers or solutions when facing most of these issues. In cases like this, getting a qualified and competent lawyer is of great importance. We will examine the advantages and disadvantages of a prepaid legal plan as opposed to hiring your own lawyer. We will also discuss some simple steps to help you choose a good attorney.

One of the most important factors is a lawyer’s legal ability, someone who can explain the law to you and present you with options, explain consequences of each decision you make and give you ideas on the best course of action.

Increasingly, many lawyers are becoming more and more specialized and you will likely get better information from an attorney who specializes in a particular field of the law than a generalist who deals with a broad range of legal issues. Building rapport is also important: your relationship with your lawyer can make or break your case. You need a lawyer who gives you good advice that you can trust, someone with enough perspective to step back from an issue and look at it from all sides.

On the other hand, client lawyer relationships are much more limited within a pre paid legal plan. Because of the preventive nature of most plans, your contact with your lawyer will often be limited. You usually don't get to talk to your lawyer in person as most of the consultation is done over the phone even when you get to talk to them, it’s difficult to build rapport when your office consultations are limited to a certain number of hours a year.

The good news is you still have other options. When you sign up for a legal plan, or are shopping around to personally hire a lawyer, there are a number of steps you can take to increase the likelihood of getting a good lawyer. First, it's a good idea to ask for referrals from previous clients. Ask around about good attorneys in the network. Once you get a few names, check their educational background, their qualifications and their professional track record with your state’s bar association.

After you receive your referrals, don’t be shy about setting up interviews with the attorneys. Most don’t mind answering questions about what they do and their qualifications. Ask tough questions: How long have they been in practice? How satisfied are their previous clients? How many legal problems of interest to you have they taken recently?

A little research and diligence can be very helpful in finding a lawyer that meets your needs and is appropriate for your situation.