Top 10 Signs You’ve Found the Right Lawyer

Hiring a lawyer can be one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make, so make sure you take the time to find the right one. Whether you need an attorney to help you finalize the sale of your home, a family law specialist to finalize your divorce, or an immigration attorney to make sure you don’t get deported, getting the right person is key.

That search, however, can be tedious and tricky, and often fraught with difficulties. Feeling completely confident that you’ve found the right person is usually the hardest part of all, so we’ve compiled a list to make sure you really have…

1. You have researched and found the best. Don’t just hire the first person that comes along. Make a list of attorneys you think are suitable, and then prepare a list of questions to ask them. After each interview, compare the answers. When someone seems right, schedule a face-to-face meeting (sometimes the initial meeting fee is waived, sometimes not). Write down what they say and compare the answers one more time.

2. Your attorney comes up with the right recommendations and/or client references. It’s important not to underestimate the importance of word of mouth when it comes to hiring the right person. Ask friends or neighbors who have retained attorneys for similar reasons in the past if they can recommend someone. Certified lawyer referral agencies can also refer you to a lawyer if you need one, or put you in touch with an agency that can.

3. They have a good reputation in the community and have earned the respect of clients and colleagues. You can even ask someone in the community to recommend someone who specifically fits your problems or needs. If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, for example, it might be a good idea to contact a local women’s group for recommendations.

4. They have the right specialty, or area of ​​expertise. You may not need a lawyer who has a specific specialist, but then again, you may. Lawyers can specialize in different areas and, in some cases, can become certified specialists by the State Bar Association. They include, among others: criminal law, family law, immigration law and bankruptcy law. Also, make sure they have the right approach to practice within their field of things. Immigration attorneys, for example, enjoy many subspecialties, such as family, employment, and deportation.

5. Rates seem to match what you can afford. It’s no good getting a fantastic attorney, only to find out after your first meeting that they charge $400 an hour more than you can reasonably expect to pay. Remember that you will also have to pay the costs of the case as well as attorney’s fees, even if you lose, so it is imperative that you know in advance a good estimate of what those fees will be. Will you have to pay for phone conversations, photocopies, additional research? Will there be a payment plan or retention fee? Be up front with your attorney about providing a written estimate, and let them know you’ll expect an update if costs change for any reason.

6. Your chosen lawyer has the necessary experience to handle your case. Don’t be fooled by first impressions alone, although they are definitely important. Ask your potential attorney if he or she has handled similar cases before, how many, and what the results were. You’ll need someone who can openly discuss her background in similar cases and who is willing to reveal the results to you.

7. They have passed all the necessary controls. You can always search the State Bar Association website to see if the attorney you are considering hiring has ever been publicly disciplined by the State Bar Association, or has ever been the subject of any ethical or disciplinary action. If so, ask them to explain: if you’re not comfortable doing this, you’re much better off using someone else. Erring on the side of caution is always better in this type of scenario.

8. They are not overly overworked and do most of the work themselves. You don’t want to hire a lawyer who is too busy to handle another case, nor do you want someone with a staff of paralegals to do most of the work for them. A general rule of thumb is that one or two paralegals per attorney is a good number, which means they actually have plenty of time to talk with you about your case and get to know first-hand what you’re going through. Ask if they will handle everything themselves, especially if the case is going to litigation.

9. They have good communication skills and will keep you reasonably well informed at all times. The last thing you want is a lawyer repeatedly reassuring you that everything is progressing smoothly without providing cold hard facts. Ask how you’ll be let into the loop: through regular emails, phone calls, or faxes, or perhaps through an informal meeting every other Tuesday (which you’ll pay for!). You may want to insist on a regular schedule for updates; on the other hand, it may not.

10. The chemistry is right. When all is said and done, your gut feeling is perhaps more important than anything else. Even if someone seems perfect on paper, if the two of you don’t get along and feel uncomfortable asking questions, this is obviously not the right attorney for you.

It is hard to find a good lawyer, and in most cases, it is good to find a difficult lawyer. Make sure you get the best by taking the time to find the right person, who ticks all the boxes and has the right qualifications, as well as the right personality.