How to Find the Right Type of Attorney
When you face a legal problem, your interests will be best served by finding a lawyer to help you. Not all lawyers, however, practice every type of law and you will want to find an attorney who can help you with your specific legal problem or concern. The right type of attorney is one who has knowledge and experience practicing the particular area of law for which you need help, who is compatible with your personality, and who is compatible with your needs regarding legal fees. In selecting the right type of attorney for you, there are some considerations that you should take into account.
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Instructions
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Determine the type of attorney you need based on the case in which you are involved. If you have been arrested you will need a criminal lawyer. If you have a contract issue, been in a car accident or have a property dispute, you will need a civil lawyer. In some instances, such as in asset forfeiture situations, in which you have property that a state is trying to have forfeited because its claims the property was used in the commission of a crime, you may need an attorney who is familiar with criminal law and civil law. These types of actions are called "quasi-criminal" because they involve criminal elements, but follow the rules of civil procedure and there is overlap between them.
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Search for attorneys using the yellow pages, Internet or a county bar association. Many lawyers who advertise in the yellow pages will display what types of cases they handle. There are various resources on the Internet for finding an attorney, including Martindale-Hubbell and Findlaw. These are legal directories that provide an attorney search function that allows you to search by location, legal practice area, or the specific legal issue that you may have. If you contact a county bar association, ask to be connected to its lawyer referral service. Describe your specific legal problem and the service will provide you with the name and contact information of an attorney who deals with the legal issue that you are facing.
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Contact multiple attorneys and ask them about their law practice. Ask questions regarding the attorney's practice, what types of cases she handles, and how much experience she has handling the type of case that you need help with. Also ask how much he charges and how his fee arrangement works. For instance, does she charge per hour? If so, how much? Will he work on a flat-fee basis? Must you pay the entire flat-fee up front, or can you work out a payment plan? If it is a civil action, such as a personal injury case, will there be a contingency fee if you win, or will there be an hourly fee instead? If there is a contingency fee, what percentage of the judgment will the lawyer charge? Ask how the lawyer communicates with his clients. Does he prefer email correspondence or regular U.S. Postal Service mail? Must you call for an update frequently or will she update you on a monthly basis? Communication is important to the attorney-client relationship and in choosing the right type of attorney, you must also determine which attorney makes you the most comfortable.
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Evaluate the attorneys and choose one. Consider the following questions and make a selection. How did the lawyers conduct themselves over the phone? Does the attorney seem like someone who you can get along with and have a fruitful and productive attorney-client relationship with? Which attorney has the experience that will help you the most? Does one attorney have a better track record of winning cases of your type? Does the attorney focus on the practice area that you need help with? How many cases of your type has the attorney handled? Do you want the attorney with the most experience who may cost the most, or are you willing to hire a less-experienced attorney who will be cheaper? Which attorney has the type of payment plan that will suit your needs? You must feel comfortable in all of these respects so that you can have a fruitful attorney-client relationship.
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