how to find an excellent lawyer and nolo

To find attorneys who do this, just review attorneys' profiles: Nolo asks lawyers to indicate whether they're willing to coach clients or review client-prepared documents. Help When Hiring or Working With a Lawyer Start here to learn about finding the right lawyer, managing the cost, and handling issues that may come up.

Full Answer

How do I find a good lawyer?

Personal Recommendations. The best way to find a lawyer is to get a recommendation from someone you trust. So ask your relatives and friends—especially those you know who have substantial assets and have likely made an estate plan. You may also want to ask those who run their own businesses.

Where can I find a lawyer for free?

When you have a legal problem, you need information. Legal books written for nonlawyers, as well as online websites, are an excellent place to start. Bar associations and nonprofit public interest groups often publish useful information that allows you to educate yourself on the law, too.

When do you need a lawyer?

You can probably find out a lot about your lawyer online: whether he or she is listed as a member of a state bar association (a requirement) and of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association or AILA (a professional organization that most of the best attorneys join); whether he or she gets good reviews on websites like Martindale; whether the lawyer has written professional articles …

Where can I find legal books for non lawyers?

The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising.

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.

Is Nolo legitimate?

Nolo is a legal website that provides access to legal forms, software, books, and ebooks. It's home to a large blog with informational articles authored by legal professionals. Nolo can also help you start an LLC or incorporate a new business.Oct 14, 2020

What should you not say to a lawyer?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•Mar 17, 2021

What is the most common complaint against lawyers?

Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.

Is Nolo really free?

With over 50 web properties, the Nolo Network is one of the web's largest libraries of consumer-friendly legal information – all available for free.

Is Nolo part of Quicken?

Nolo's Quicken WillMaker & Trust helps you create an estate plan from home. Make wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, and more for everyone in your immediate family.

How do you know a bad lawyer?

Signs of a Bad LawyerBad Communicators. Communication is normal to have questions about your case. ... Not Upfront and Honest About Billing. Your attorney needs to make money, and billing for their services is how they earn a living. ... Not Confident. ... Unprofessional. ... Not Empathetic or Compassionate to Your Needs. ... Disrespectful.Aug 19, 2020

Should you tell your attorney everything?

It is the kind of information that the client may wish to share with anyone – even their lawyer. The truth is this – a lawyer, any lawyer handling any important legal matter must have all of the facts and evidence in the case to do their job.Jun 13, 2021

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

How do you write a complaint letter about a lawyer?

Formal complaint against [name of lawyer or law firm] describe what the lawyer had been hired to do for you [for example dealing with the sale or purchase of a house] • say when this was [give the date or dates when the problem occurred]. My complaint is that [list what you think went wrong or wasn't done properly.

Who or what regulates attorneys in California?

The State Bar of California'sThe State Bar of California's principal mission is protecting the public, primarily through a rigorous licensing process, regulating attorneys, prosecuting complaints of lawyer misconduct and promoting ethical conduct.

How do I file a complaint against an attorney in India?

A complaint against an advocate has to be in the form of a petition. It has to be duly signed and verified as required under the Code of Civil Procedure. The complaint can be filed in English or in Hindi or in a regional language where the language has been declared to be a state language.

What is a lawyer directory?

A lawyer directory will give you the names of attorneys who practice in your area. You will probably find several who specialize in estate planning and will give you an initial consultation for a low fee.

Does the county bar have a referral service?

Your local county bar may have an attorney referral service, which differs from a directory in that a referral service will gather some information about your legal needs and match you with attorneys who might be a good fit for you. Usually you'll get only a few names of attorneys to consider, chosen for you by the knowledgeable people running the referral service, rather than having an entire directory to choose from on your own.

What is a healthy attorney-client relationship?

A healthy attorney-client relationship is paramount when you're involved in a legal dispute—and most clients who participate actively in resolving their legal problems are more satisfied with the results. Here you'll find information that will help you hire and work with an attorney.

What to do if you've been putting something off?

If you've been putting something off—say you've meant to set up a trust for your grandchildren, you need to clean up old debts through bankruptcy, or your legal problem is especially upsetting, like a nasty lawsuit —hiring an attorney to handle everything can be just what you need.

Do you have to give consent to a lawyer to text you?

You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary.

Do lawyers provide limited help?

Many lawyers are open to providing limited help—reviewing documents or researching a particular issue, for example. To find attorneys who do this, just review attorneys' profiles: Nolo asks lawyers to indicate whether they're willing to coach clients or review client-prepared documents.

Can a lawyer handle immigration?

For the same reasons, only an actual, practicing lawyer should be trusted to handle your immigration matters. Unfortunately, many non-lawyers; even some well-meaning ones, who don't recognize how complex this area of law really is; claim to be capable of assisting foreigners who need help with the immigration process.

Can an attorney guarantee success?

Not even the best attorneys can guarantee success. Ultimately, the outcome of your case is up to an immigration judge, the Department of Homeland Defense and/or USCIS. Any attorney claiming he or she has a 100% success rate and guaranteeing you a particular outcome may need to be more closely evaluated.

Is it ethical to hire a low value immigration attorney?

A few "high-volume, low value" immigration attorneys prowl the hallways of immigration offices attempting to solicit business. This is not considered ethical behavior by the legal bar. Besides, any good immigration attorney is probably going to be too busy practicing immigration law and working for their clients to spend their time rounding up new clients this way.

What are the most reliable indicators of a good attorney?

The most reliable indicators of a quality attorney — years of experience, depth of knowledge, attention to detail, trustworthiness — are seldom apparent in an advertisement. While it might take some extra effort to find the right attorney for you, it can make all the difference in your case.

What to do if your attorney doesn't return your calls?

If they treat you rudely or dismissively, or don't return your calls promptly, feel free to take your business elsewhere. As your case progresses, your attorney should provide you with periodic updates on the status of your claim. If you rarely hear from your attorney, speak up about your concerns.

Do all workers comp attorneys offer free consultations?

Virtually all workers' comp attorneys offer free initial consultations with prospective clients. While your lawyer will certainly ask you dozens of questions related to your claim, you should be asking just as many questions. Remember: This is a job interview, and you are the employer.

How does a lawyer's willingness to listen affect your ability to make good decisions?

A lawyer's willingness to listen and ability to understand you may affect how much you can help the lawyer and whether you can control somewhat how the lawyer does the job. A lawyer's willingness and ability to explain what is happening in your case will likewise affect your ability to make good decisions .

What documents do you need to bring to a personal injury lawyer?

Bring copies of all the documents you have concerning your claim: police report, medical bills, income loss information, and all correspondence with the insurance company, including your demand letter if you have reached that stage. Most personal injury lawyers don't charge for an initial consultation.

Can I hire a lawyer for a small claim?

However, even if your case is too small to have a lawyer take over the entire claim, it may still be possible to hire the lawyer on an hourly basis to give you advice on particular parts of your claim.

Can a personal injury lawyer work in a small law firm?

You are likely to receive more personal attention from a small law office , and many of the best personal injury lawyers choose to work in a law firm with only a few lawyers. Make sure, however, that important work on your case is not left to less experienced lawyers or staff.

Do large law offices spend money?

Also, large law offices are in the habit of freely spending money on expenses that may use up much of your potential compensation. Also, insurance companies know that large law offices often do not put as much time or concern into a typical personal injury case as do smaller law offices.

Should I choose a lawyer solely on the basis of someone else's recommendation?

But don't make any decision about a lawyer solely on the basis of someone else's recommendation. Different people will have different responses to a lawyer's style and personality.

Can you ask a lawyer to change tack?

As the case goes along, you are always free to ask the lawyer to change tack. You may get tired of the whole process and want the lawyer to wrap things up as soon as possible. Or, the cost of taking your case through the lawsuit process may begin to eat up too much of your potential compensation.

What are the best legal research tools?

Lots of examples and easy-to-understand instructions teach you how to master all the basic legal research tools, including: 1 online search engines 2 reliable free legal websites 3 legal encyclopedias, periodicals, and treatises 4 annotated legal codes and statutes 5 published reports of state and federal court cases 6 case digests and Shepard's Citations, and 7 the best legal blogs

What is legal research?

Legal Research provides everything you need, laying out easy-to-follow research methods that will help you find the right answers. Find out how to: locate and understand statutes, regulations, and cases. make sure your research is 100% up to date.

What is the term for a judge's view of what the statute means when applied to the particular facts of the

Judicial opinions form what is known as “common law” or “case law.”. In essence, case law is a judge’s view of what the statute means when applied to the particular facts of the case before.

What is the chapter 1 of the law?

Chapter 1. Understanding the Basics of the Law. Trying to research the law can be a daunting task—and there used to be a time when it was virtually impossible for nonlawyers to access legal information themselves. Fortunately, the Internet has been a game changer and that’s no longer the case.

Do federal courts interpret state laws?

For the most part, federal courts are dealing with federal law issues, and state courts are dealing with issues related to state laws. So neither judicial system tells the other how to interpret its own laws. But this gets tricky when state or federal court systems must interpret each other’s laws.

Do judges have to disregard current law?

Unless there is a very good reason to depart from current law, judges generally do not. In fact, most lawyers will tell you they’ve never had a trial judge agree to disregard current law. Instead, trial judges expect litigants seeking legal change to appeal the case to a higher court with the authority to do so.

Do judges have to follow every prior opinion?

As explained above, when drafting opinions that interpret the law, judges are bound by the opinions of other judges. But judges don’t have to follow every prior opinion interpreting a statute. Courts are arranged in a certain hierarchy, which makes judges bound by the decisions of only those higher up in the hierarchy.