Picking a lawyer can be very stressful. Without a legal background, it is often difficult to tell the difference between one attorney and the next. This is further complicated by the degree of specialization in legal services. In the past, it was adequate to use a general lawyer who could cover a broad range of legal services. The law, however, has become increasingly complex and law firms now often have different departments for specific areas of specialization such as litigation, personal injury, malpractice, real estate, and intellectual property.
So how do you pick a lawyer? Here are a few basic criteria that can be used:
Experience
Make sure that any lawyer you're considering has adequate experience, not only in law, but also in the specific cases of your type. In addition, make sure that he has adequate trial experience. Many lawyers don't actually try lawsuits.
Reputation
It is important to research the past work of an attorney. Check with past clients, colleagues, and judges and look for press coverage of past cases. In addition, you can search peer-review online databases such as martindale.com
Education
Check to make sure that your lawyer graduated from an accredited law school. The American Bar Association maintains a list of law schools it has approved on its website.
Personality
Legal matters can be very personal in nature. Make sure that you connect on a personal level with your lawyer. If you don't get along with your attorney, it will be difficult to work with him effectively.
Cost
Legal services can often be prohibitively expensive. With legal fees running hundreds of thousands of dollars, prestigious law firms are frequently too expensive for most people. Local judges can often recommend attorneys that have affordable fees.
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