how to find out about your lawyer

How to Find a Lawyer

• Ask Your Friends and Family. Ask your family and other close contacts who you know have hired an attorney for their...
• Call Your Area Bar Association. Your local bar association maintains a network of area lawyers. For example, The Bar...
• Schedule Interviews. When you have your referral list, start contacting these professionals to find the best fit...

Full Answer

How to find an excellent lawyer?

Sep 09, 2019 · Newspaper, telephone directory, radio, television, and Internet ads, along with direct mail, can make you familiar with the names of lawyers who may be appropriate for your legal needs. Some ads also will help you determine a lawyer’s area of expertise. Other ads will quote a fee or price range for handling a specific type of “simple” case.

How do you find a good lawyer?

Talk to a local lawyer. Nolo's Lawyer Directory Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information to help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

How can I get assistance with finding a lawyer?

Choose an area of law to find top-rated attorneys near you. Bankruptcy and debt. Brain injury. Business. Car accident. Child custody. Child support. Criminal defense. DUI and DWI.

How to find your first job as a lawyer?

Feb 15, 2021 · Generally, the state bar database provides information about the attorney's name, address, phone number, email address, education, area of practice or specialty, and years in practice. Most states provide the attorney’s bar number, but some do not. In a few states, the state does not issue a bar license number at all.

How do I know if my lawyer is lying?

How do you know a lawyer is lying?They tell you that they are known as the “best” at what they do. ... They guarantee you will win. ... They “specialize” in whatever your problem is. ... They call themselves a “father's rights” or “mother's rights” attorney in a custody case.More items...•Jun 16, 2010

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.

How often should I hear from my attorney?

Once a month is a good rule of thumb if things are slow, but if you are preparing for trial or in my case an administrative benefits hearing, the contact with you and your attorney should be more frequent and specifically scheduled.

Is it normal to not hear from your lawyer?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.Oct 25, 2018

Why do lawyers ignore you?

There's bad news your attorney doesn't want to deliver. If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.Mar 29, 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 know if a lawyer is scamming you?

Some common signs of a scam include:Payment needs to happen quickly. You can't ask questions or get clarification.It's an emergency. Someone may threaten you or your loved ones.Requests for money usually happen over text, email or phone.The person contacting you is not someone you recognize.Mar 29, 2021

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.

Do lawyers lie to their clients?

In California, the Rules of Professional Conduct govern a lawyer's ethical duties. The law prohibits lawyers from engaging in dishonesty.Jun 17, 2015

How long should it take a lawyer to respond?

A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.Dec 28, 2019

How long does it take for a lawyer to review a case?

Question: Why is it taking so long for your lawyer to make a decision whether to accept your case? Answer: It should rarely take more than 4-6 weeks for a malpractice lawyer to make a decision about your case.

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.

How to find a lawyer for a lawsuit?

Here are a few other sources you can turn to for possible candidates in your search for a lawyer: 1 The director of your state or local chamber of commerce may be a good source of business lawyers. 2 The director of a nonprofit group interested in the subject matter that underlies your lawsuit is sure to know lawyers who work in that area. For example, if your dispute involves trying to stop a major new subdivision, it would make sense to consult an environmental group committed to fighting urban sprawl. 3 A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. 4 A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

How much does a lawyer charge an hour?

Lawyers, of course, are prime sources of this information, but if you bought all the needed information at their rates -- $150 to $450 an hour -- you'd quickly empty your bank account.

What is Nolo lawyer directory?

Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

What is a lawyer referral service?

Lawyer referral services are another source of information. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are required to be approved by the state bar association. Some lawyer referral services carefully screen attorneys and list only those attorneys with particular qualifications and a certain amount of past experience, while other services will list any attorney in good standing with the state bar who maintains liability insurance. Before you choose a lawyer referral service, ask what its qualifications are for including an attorney and how carefully lawyers are screened.

What can a law librarian do?

A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

Do lawyers work with you?

Fortunately, many lawyers will work with you to help you acquire a good working knowledge of the legal principles and procedures you need to deal with your problem at least partly on your own. If you are hoping to represent yourself and use a lawyer only for advice, make sure the lawyer is open to that type of set-up.

List of State Lawyer Licensing Databases

How do you check to see if an attorney has a valid bar license to practice law in a given state?

How to Search for an Attorney by Speciality

All of these directories allow you to search for the attorney by name.

How to Find Disciplinary Records Online

Use the links below to select the state where the attorney practices law. Then go to the state bar site to search the attorney's name or bar number. On many of these directories, you can see if the license has ever been inactive or if the attorney was disciplined for misconduct.

What can a lawyer advise on?

A lawyer can advise an individual what they may be entitled to in their state, as laws vary by state. Issues may include alimony and child support. Without a lawyer, an individual runs the risk of inadvertently waiving their rights to alimony, visitation with their children, or even custody of their children.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.

Why is it important to have a family lawyer?

It is important in divorce cases for an individual to have a family lawyer representing them to ensure their rights are protected.

What is criminal law?

Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.

Can a guilty plea affect immigration status?

Some guilty pleas, even to misdemeanor charges, can have long-term consequences. A guilty plea can also affect immigration status or lead to deportation of a non-citizen. It is important to remember that, in most cases, when an individual cannot afford a criminal lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent them.

What is civil matter?

Civil matters include contract disputes between businesses, real estate, and personal transactions. Unlike criminal cases, there is no determination of guilt or innocence. Usually, the parties may only recover monetary damages, including punitive damages in some cases.

Do I need a lawyer for a prenup?

In most cases, marriages do not require a lawyer but a prenuptial agreement should be reviewed by a lawyer. In some states, it is required, unless expressly waived, that an individual is represented before signing a prenuptial agreement. Many family law matters begin after a couple has been married.

William Thomas McCaffery

Where does the person live and in what type of case do you believe he/she may have been represented by the attorney? In New York, for example, some of this information may be online on the New York Court System website. If the attorney represented the person in Federal Court, the information could be on the Federal Courts' PACER system.

Glenn Johnston

Not sure if this is really an intellectual property question, since you are only asking about how to find out who their lawyer is. Here are a few suggestions:#N#1. If they have ever been involved in a lawsuit, their lawyer would have likely filed an appearance in the case.#N#2.

Eric Edward Rothstein

If there has been any litigation the information would be in the court file and perhaps on line at nycourts.gov although that information is not always correct or up to date.

Floyd Edwin Ivey

The attorney-client is Privileged. Unless published in a case or in the news there should be no access to the relationship. You can speak with an Intellectual Property attorney regarding this privilege.

What should I do when choosing an attorney?

It’s always awkward to ask, “So, when’s the last time you were suspended from practice?”

Look up the attorney on the state bar association website

Each state has its own bar association that grants licenses to attorneys. These associations monitor and discipline lawyers, suspending or disbarring those who violate the code of ethics for that specific state.

Google online reviews and complaints

When picking an attorney for any matter, at the very least you should search for reviews online and see what others have said.