When you find yourself in a position where you need to talk to an attorney, it can feel a little overwhelming and confusing trying to figure out who to hire. Even within the same practice area, attorneys’ fees vary, and the difference can be quite large.
Even when you do find a lawyer with more affordable fees and perhaps a free consultation, you still have to make a decision to trust them with your case.
If you’re uncertain about who to hire, here are some pointers for selecting an attorney.
1. Choose a law firm that speaks your preferred language
You’ll feel so much better about hiring an attorney who speaks your preferred language. Even if you consider yourself bilingual, you might have a preference for one language over the other, and choosing an attorney who speaks that language will make you feel more comfortable.
For example, many law firms in Spanish-speaking areas, like some cities in Florida, hire attorneys who speak Spanish. Rosenthal, Levy, Simon, & Sosa is one of those law firms. This provides an advantage to the Spanish-speaking population and ensures they get the best legal counsel possible.
It’s important for your attorney to understand the nuances of your case, and when you speak the same language, that’s much more likely to happen.
2. Get a consultation from multiple attorneys
Some people hire the first lawyer they speak with, and that’s not necessarily bad. It’s just that you won’t know what your options are unless you consult with a few different lawyers.
Try to get a consultation from at least two different attorneys to see what they have to say about your case. You’d be surprised to know how many attorneys turn down cases they say aren’t solid that others take and win with ease.
Every attorney has their own area of expertise, some may handle estates and trusts, and others handle business matters, and still others handle personal injuries. Even within the same practice area, skills and abilities vary.
3. Be willing to pay for a consultation
When searching for an attorney, you’ll probably find that some provide free consultations and others require payment. Don’t automatically skip the paid consultations because sometimes the best attorneys charge a small fee. This can happen when the attorney is well-known and people have historically taken advantage of their free consults.
4. Don’t worry about personalities
Personalities sometimes clash, but when it comes to attorneys, don’t worry so much about whether or not you feel a personal connection. While it’s nice to have natural, personal rapport with your attorney, it’s not necessary for getting excellent legal representation. You can have professional rapport and that’s enough.
5. Search for online reviews
Online reviews can tell you a lot about an attorney if you can find reviews on third-party sites. Naturally, the reviews they post to their own website will be curated from positive client experiences, and that’s a good thing.
However, it won’t necessarily tell you if there are things you need to watch out for. For instance, sometimes attorneys have a track record of losing cases they should have won according to other legal experts. This happens for a variety of reasons, and it’s beneficial to take a look and see what other people are saying.
Attorneys don’t typically take cases they don’t think they can win, so if you find one who consistently loses their cases, that might be a bad sign. Nobody wins every case, but if an attorney loses more cases than they win, they might be taking on weak cases, which can indicate a lack of experience. An inexperienced attorney has to start somewhere, but if you can avoid it, find someone who has the experience backed by a plethora of cases won.
6. Verify their track record
To the best of your ability, try to verify the track record of any attorney you’re not sure about before you hire them to represent you. Most attorneys will publish their biggest wins on their website, so find some of those cases and see if you can verify their involvement and the outcome of the case.
If you find an attorney who has won cases similar to yours, that’s a good sign. However, finding this information will require some research skills and the ability to read and understand court documents.
Go with your instincts
Last, but not least, trust your instincts when hiring an attorney. If you don’t feel comfortable with someone, find someone else. There are plenty of skilled attorneys to choose from, so make sure you select the one that feels right for you.