how to find a lawyer to help

1. Determine what type of attorney you need. It is always preferable to locate an attorney who has specialized expertise in the practice area that your case involves (e.g., malpractice ...
2. Contact your local bar association for qualified attorneys in your area. ...
3. Review online listings of attorneys. Many websites offer free reviews of businesses. Some places to look for lawyer reviews include: LegalZoom, Rocketlawyer, LawTrades, and Avvo.com.
4. Get referrals and recommendations from friends and family. Talk to friends and family members who used an attorney.
5. Make a list of the potential attorneys you have found in your area. Include the attorney’s name, address, phone number and website address.
Review each attorney’s website. You will want to look for information about the type of law the attorney practices.
Keep in mind that the size of the firm may matter. ...

Full Answer

How can I get assistance with finding a lawyer?

· Seek free lawyer consultations. · Look to legal aid societies. · Visit a law school. · Contact your county or state (4) … Ask a lawyer. Get legal advice from lawyers in your state. Ask a legal question to real lawyers. Get an answer from a lawyer that specializes in your issue.

What is the hardest part about finding a lawyer?

• Organisational conflict in the workplace between managers and workers
• Industrial disputes among employees and employer.
• Talent retention or talent acquisition
• Employee retrenchment and layoffs
• Diverse culture and workforce management.
• Career development and work-life balance.

How to find an excellent lawyer?

How to Find an Excellent Lawyer

• Conducting a Background Check. Before hiring any attorney, contact the attorney disciplinary organization in your state to verify that they’re in precise standing as a member of the bar.
• Touring the Lawyer’s Office. ...
• Consider a Specialist. ...
• Interview the Prospective Lawyers. ...
• Personality. ...

How do I find a reputable lawyer?

• How long have you been practicing?
• Where were you educated?
• How will you communicate with me?
• What are the best ways to contact you?
• Will you be my point of contact, or will it be someone else, such as a paralegal?
• Will you send me updates about the status of my plan, or should I expect to take the initiative?

More items...

How do you find a good attorney?

You can run an attorney search at databases such as Avvo and Martindale Hubbell, which provide information such as practice areas, location, disciplinary records, and lawyer reviews. You might also consult your local or state bar association's attorney directory, which is a list of lawyers in your area.

What is it called when you can't afford a lawyer?

When a court decides someone is "indigent" - with few assets and no funds to pay an attorney - generally either a private lawyer will be appointed by the court and paid with county funds, or a public defender program will be appointed to represent the person.

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.

How much does it cost to hire a lawyer?

Throughout the United States, typical attorney fees usually range from about $100 an hour to $400 an hour. These hourly rates will increase with experience and practice area specialization.

Tap Your Network

Ask around among your family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances to see if they know of any attorneys they could recommend. Personal references can be some of the most reliable references you will find.

Do Some Research

You can run an attorney search at databases such as Avvo and Martindale Hubbell, which provide information such as practice areas, location, disciplinary records, and lawyer reviews.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lawyer

Now that you have some attorney options, it’s time to choose. To get you started, here’s a list of questions to ask an attorney before hiring them:

More Considerations When Hiring a Lawyer

One way to get a feel for an attorney’s practice is to be observant when you go for your first consultation.

What to Look for in a Lawyer

Before looking for an attorney, decide what kind you need. Common fields include:

Find Free and Low-Cost Legal Help

These programs offer a variety of ways to get legal aid. Some limit their services to people with low incomes.

Find Legal Resources for Specific Groups

Stateside Legal - Find free legal help for military members, veterans, and their families.

Do you have a question?

Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They'll get you the answer or let you know where to find it.

Why hire a lawyer?

Using the court or handling a legal matter without a lawyer is hard and risky. Even in what seems like a simple matter, you may inadvertently waive your rights, overlook an option or make a matter worse by going it alone. The law and the courts are full of unfamiliar terms, technical rules and complex procedures.

Types of lawyer services

Traditional Representation With traditional representation, the lawyer represents you in every part of a case or situation. Most often, this is done on an hourly basis. One challenge is that it is often difficult for you or the lawyer to know what the total cost will be.

Types of Legal Fees

Hourly Most legal work, including traditional representation, single task representation or advice visits, is done on a hourly basis. You are charged per hour at the lawyer’s hourly rate for all the work done for you.

How to find a lawyer

Use a Lawyer Referral Service In Kent County, the Grand Rapids Bar Association Lawyers Referral and Information Service will connect you with a lawyer who will provide a 30 minute consultation for $25. To schedule an appointment call 616-855-0273.

How to Pick a Lawyer

Call and Ask Questions Once you have a few names, call their offices. Ask if they will do a free initial conference. If it is not free, what does it cost? Ask if they are willing to give legal advice at a first visit? You want to know how much information you can expect to get before you commit to hiring the lawyer.

How to secure a lawyer?

In order to secure a lawyer on your case, you will need to sign the fee agreement and pay any required fees up front, such as a retainer. Once you have decided a on a lawyer and started moving forward with the legal process, your lawyer will take over and include his or her name on all legal documentation as your representative for the case.

Why don't I need a lawyer?

But even if you can't afford a lawyer, you don't have to go into your legal proceedings without any help. In fact, the Miranda Rights give those involved in certain high-profile or high-stakes cases the right to an attorney, which will be provided by the state or federal government. You may also have the right to an appointed attorney in child custody cases in which you face losing your children.

Why are lawyers important?

Lawyers are also important partners in situations that don’t involve the courtroom, advising clients about their legal rights and obligations for personal or business issues. They are trained to interpret complicated systems of laws and navigate the court system.

Why is it important to understand a lawyer's previous experience?

Understanding a lawyer’s previous experience is essential to understanding how they can handle your case. You’ll want to ask how many years the lawyer has been practicing. A lack of experience doesn’t necessarily make for a bad lawyer, though, especially if they have experienced lawyers around them.

What is an hourly rate for a lawyer?

Hourly Rate: Lawyers often charge an agreed-upon hourly rate for their work, and the work of their assistants. The hourly rate applies to both face-to-face consultations and behind-the-scenes work on your case. A good lawyer will usually be able to estimate the required number of hours per case in advance.

Is a bankruptcy attorney's fee refundable?

These are usually non-refundable if you choose to terminate the case early. Statutory Fee: Sometimes, state or local law determines a set amount that you owe your attorney for certain services, like bankruptcy cases and probate issues. A court may also set a statutory fee, though this isn’t standard.

What is a legal clinic?

A legal clinic is a service that allows current law students to gain experience by working on real-life cases under the supervision of a faculty advisor (e.g., usually a law school professor who is also a lawyer).

Why do lawyers not give legal advice?

The reason for this is due to special ethical and professional rules that lawyers and those providing legal advice have to follow. In fact, most of them cannot provide actual legal advice. They can only offer free legal information (e.g., where to find a particular court form, etc.). Thus, if an individual needs actual legal advice ...

Who is Jaclyn from LegalMatch?

Prior to joining LegalMatch, Jaclyn was a paralegal and freelance writer.

Do lawyers get paid for contingency fees?

On the other hand, if a lawyer has agreed to take a case on a contingency fee basis and they do not prevail, they will be paid nothing for their services.

Who can be appointed as a free legal representative?

In criminal cases, those who cannot afford a lawyer will be appointed a free legal representative by the court. These representatives are usually selected from the local public defender’s office. The main purpose of appointing a public defender is to ensure that people who cannot pay for legal assistance in a criminal case will still receive fair ...

Can the government refuse to pay for a lawyer?

So long as a person qualifies for free legal representation, the government cannot refuse to pay for their lawyer because it would violate ...

Do lawyers have to discuss fees before hiring?

While each lawyer may have different conditions for this fee arrangement, a person should be sure to discuss all of the terms of the agreement before they hire them. Lastly, though a person may be responsible for minor costs like filing fees or expert witness fees, the outcome may be worth the smaller expenses.

How long does it take to get a lawyer's profile?

Within 24 hours , your case is reviewed, evaluated, and when a lawyer is interested in taking your case, you'll receive a full attorney profile and their background information.

Is your privacy protected?

Your privacy is always protected - you decide when to disclose your personal information to interested attorneys. All member lawyers are pre-screened and in good standing with their state's bar associations. Review attorney's profiles and responses to your case before making a decision.