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Step 1
Figure out what type of attorney you need. There are business, contract, tax, patent, family and real estate attorneys and more. There are also sub-specialties like personal injury and DUI attorneys.
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Step 2
Decide what your overall budget will be. For many things, it's impossible to figure out how much it will cost to hire an attorney because it will be based on the number of hours worked. But, for things like divorce or adoption, a lawyer will have a set fee. Check around and find out how much the local attorneys are charging. If you need something done that will require an hourly charge, compare the hourly rates of a few lawyers before deciding on one.
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Step 3
Check the reputations of local lawyers. Ask friends and family about lawyers they have hired in the past. Once you have a list of potential attorneys, look online to see if anyone else has had anything to say about them.
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Step 4
Find out if there is a fee for a consultation. You can get a good feeling about an attorney by visiting her in her office and talking about your problem. Most attorneys will do this for free before you hire them, but some charge for their time. Try out several attorneys if you don't find one that you click with.
