1First decide if you need a family violence attorney or not. If you are facing a civil or criminal domestic violence charges: you are not necessary to hire an attorney. Still these charges are extremely serious. If you are a victim of abuse who doesn’t get help from a public attorney, you are allowed to represent yourself in civil court but should consider paying for private counsel. Domestic violence attorneys are helpful in assembling a strong case.
2Recommendation for a reliable attorney from a family member or friends. Refer to your friends who have experience with a family violence attorney, preferably one who has personally used their services. This is the time to choose your attorney very carefully. If you are not getting a recommendation means keep your desire to press charges a secret.
3Find an experience family violence attorney. Get your attorney who is having good experience in domestic violence cases, it is an important factor. It may be intelligent to ask the attorney how many family violence cases are handled in the last past years.
4Contact more than one attorney. Try to talk more than one lawyer about your case. Make sure you feel comfortable to asking the questions to attorney. It is important to interview as many domestic violence attorneys as you see fit to find one who you trust to represent you. The attorney works for you and he/she should tell you what he/she is doing for you.
5What can a domestic violence attorney does for you. A good domestic violence attorney is expected to do the following things. That is Keep you informed about the progress of your case, keep statements you make to him/her confidential, provide advice about the law, legal alternatives, and their consequences and ask you to make the decisions in your case. Whatever you decide, once the legal process will start you want to move fast to prepare for court.
6Meeting with an attorney. The first meeting with your lawyer you should come with all of your evidence and documentation prepared. It is an important thing, because domestic violence attorneys cannot offer you the strongest possible legal advice until they have all of the evidence supporting or disproving every charge.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Find an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
1Don't choose an attorney because you like his commercial. Today when we flip through the television channels, it does not take long before we come across an advertisement for a personal injury law firm. It is important not to choose an attorney based of a 30 second television ad. They may make a lot of promises and claims with a well-crafted ad, but that does not mean they are the best lawyers for your case.
2Find the right kind of attorney. When searching for an attorney, you will find that there are an overwhelming number of different types of lawyers looking for your business. You can narrow down your search by searching for lawyers that specialize in personal injury litigation. Once you have collected information on these lawyers, you can narrow your search down further by focusing on lawyers that have experience with cases that are similar to your own case, For instance, if you have a brain injury resulting from a slip and fall, look for a lawyer that has experience in this area or similar area.
3Get recommendations. You can also ask around for personal injury lawyer recommendations. Your family attorney may know of a good personal injury lawyer. As well, check with your local bar association for a list of personal injury lawyers. Your insurance company may also keep a list of experienced personal injury lawyers. It is always beneficial to hire a lawyer who has trial experience, particularly a lawyer who has won personal injury law suits.
4Interview several attorneys. It is always a good idea to interview several attorneys. You will learn about their qualifications and experience. Also, check to see if they offer free consultations. As well, some attorneys will work on a contingency basis which can helpful if you have limited financial resources. You should also inquire about the litigation procedure and if the lawyer will keep you updated as the case proceeds.
5Check into their background. If you receive an unsolicited request from an attorney seeking to represent you, you should be wary about their background. They may not have enough experience to handle your case or they may just be looking to build a reputation. A qualified and well-established attorney will not have to solicit your business.
6Make sure the personal injury lawyer knows your state's laws. Personal injury laws vary greatly by state as well as the kind of injuries sustained as well as the particular legal situation. In many states, there are now large state budgets to make people more aware about road and driving safeties. Furthermore, these states have passed strict laws to protect the rights of victims of road accidents and auto crashes.
7Don't just look for the attorney with the most education, go for track record instead. When looking for a good personal injury attorney, many people only concern themselves with education. Looking at an attorney’s level of education alone can be very misleading, primarily because every Woonsocket attorney is required to meet certain minimum standards anyway in order to practice law. The best way to go about doing your research is to inquire about your personal injury attorneys’ experience and track record of fair settlements for their clients.
2Find the right kind of attorney. When searching for an attorney, you will find that there are an overwhelming number of different types of lawyers looking for your business. You can narrow down your search by searching for lawyers that specialize in personal injury litigation. Once you have collected information on these lawyers, you can narrow your search down further by focusing on lawyers that have experience with cases that are similar to your own case, For instance, if you have a brain injury resulting from a slip and fall, look for a lawyer that has experience in this area or similar area.
3Get recommendations. You can also ask around for personal injury lawyer recommendations. Your family attorney may know of a good personal injury lawyer. As well, check with your local bar association for a list of personal injury lawyers. Your insurance company may also keep a list of experienced personal injury lawyers. It is always beneficial to hire a lawyer who has trial experience, particularly a lawyer who has won personal injury law suits.
4Interview several attorneys. It is always a good idea to interview several attorneys. You will learn about their qualifications and experience. Also, check to see if they offer free consultations. As well, some attorneys will work on a contingency basis which can helpful if you have limited financial resources. You should also inquire about the litigation procedure and if the lawyer will keep you updated as the case proceeds.
5Check into their background. If you receive an unsolicited request from an attorney seeking to represent you, you should be wary about their background. They may not have enough experience to handle your case or they may just be looking to build a reputation. A qualified and well-established attorney will not have to solicit your business.
6Make sure the personal injury lawyer knows your state's laws. Personal injury laws vary greatly by state as well as the kind of injuries sustained as well as the particular legal situation. In many states, there are now large state budgets to make people more aware about road and driving safeties. Furthermore, these states have passed strict laws to protect the rights of victims of road accidents and auto crashes.
7Don't just look for the attorney with the most education, go for track record instead. When looking for a good personal injury attorney, many people only concern themselves with education. Looking at an attorney’s level of education alone can be very misleading, primarily because every Woonsocket attorney is required to meet certain minimum standards anyway in order to practice law. The best way to go about doing your research is to inquire about your personal injury attorneys’ experience and track record of fair settlements for their clients.
Guide Minimize Attorney Fees
1Compare hourly rates, flat fees and contingency fees. Contact attorneys in your area and get quotes for the legal work in which you need assistance. To prevent getting an attorney with too little experience or an attorney that is charging too much for what you need help with, choose an attorney whose fees are in the middle of your comparison or slightly lower.
2Negotiate with your attorney prior to retaining his services. Your attorney may be willing to reduce his fees. Some reasons for doing so include that he's new to the area and wants to establish his business, your case is unique and may lead to other business, or he will gain media attention because of your case.
Pay a flat fee for all services rendered, rather than an hourly arrangement with your attorney.
Propose a creative contingency fee. A common contingency fee is 33 percent. This means that if you win your case, your attorney would retain 33 percent of the settlement. If there's a high likelihood that you will prevail and recover a large amount, your attorney may be more willing to accept less on his contingency fee.
Ask your attorney to bill you at 6 minute intervals (.10 of an hour) instead of 15 minute intervals (.25 of an hour). If you have an hourly agreement with your attorney, he will keep track of all the work he and his office staff perform on your case. Attorneys bill their time in increments. Common increments are either .10 of an hour or .25 of an hour. The increment used can make a large difference on your monthly invoice. For example, if your attorney charges $200 per hour, 5 minutes of work will cost you either $20 or $50 depending on the increment agreed upon.
3Choose an attorney that is an expert in the specific area of law in which you need assistance. Attorneys are expected to research legal matters. However, if your attorney needs to research the issues because he's not an expert, it will be more time consuming and you will be charged more.
4Cooperate with your attorney. Your attorney will need documents and information from you. Prompt responses to your attorney's requests will prevent unnecessary reminder calls and letters that cost you additional fees.
Return all calls from your attorney's office as soon as possible. Your attorney has many cases that he is working on. You will be charged fees every time your attorney needs to refresh his memory regarding your case, make reminder calls, or create reminder letters.
Offer to make copies and obtain documents or records yourself. You can do some of the work, which will reduce your legal costs.
5Write out an agenda prior to any meeting you have with your attorney. It will keep you on track regarding your questions and concerns, which will make the meeting shorter and less costly.
6Take notes during every phone conference and meeting you have with your attorney. Your matter may last several months or even years. By taking notes you can refer back to them, rather than contacting your attorney to refresh your memory.
Create a journal. Keep the journal near the phone when you speak to your attorney and take the journal with you to legal meetings so you can take notes.
Date the journal entries so you know when the conversations with your attorney take place.
7Ask clarifying questions when you talk to your attorney. Don't wait until another time to clarify what your attorney is doing on your case. Waiting will create a situation in which your attorney will need to review the case again to answer your questions.
8Maintain an organized file of your case. You will receive documents, court papers and letters from your attorney's office. Keeping all the correspondence from your attorney's office in 1 central and organized place will prevent you from asking for copies of your file.
9Determine what your goals are regarding your legal matter. Don't change your mind regarding what you want the outcome to be. Continued changes may require your attorney to change the way he works on your case, which will cost more money. Your attorney will prioritize his work on your case based on the outcome you want to achieve. Most legal settlements are based on a series of compromises between the parties. The outcome you want is used by your attorney to negotiate and compromise to meet your desired conclusion.
10Rely on your attorney for legal advice and not for emotional support. If you correspond with your attorney by email, phone or in person every time you are upset because of how your legal matter is affecting your life, your attorney must respond to the correspondence. He will then charge you for the time it takes for him or his staff to respond, even though the correspondence isn't relevant to your legal issues.
11Send emails to your attorney only when necessary. Every time you send an email, you will be charged when someone spends time reading it, discussing it with office staff and replying to it.
2Negotiate with your attorney prior to retaining his services. Your attorney may be willing to reduce his fees. Some reasons for doing so include that he's new to the area and wants to establish his business, your case is unique and may lead to other business, or he will gain media attention because of your case.
Pay a flat fee for all services rendered, rather than an hourly arrangement with your attorney.
Propose a creative contingency fee. A common contingency fee is 33 percent. This means that if you win your case, your attorney would retain 33 percent of the settlement. If there's a high likelihood that you will prevail and recover a large amount, your attorney may be more willing to accept less on his contingency fee.
Ask your attorney to bill you at 6 minute intervals (.10 of an hour) instead of 15 minute intervals (.25 of an hour). If you have an hourly agreement with your attorney, he will keep track of all the work he and his office staff perform on your case. Attorneys bill their time in increments. Common increments are either .10 of an hour or .25 of an hour. The increment used can make a large difference on your monthly invoice. For example, if your attorney charges $200 per hour, 5 minutes of work will cost you either $20 or $50 depending on the increment agreed upon.
3Choose an attorney that is an expert in the specific area of law in which you need assistance. Attorneys are expected to research legal matters. However, if your attorney needs to research the issues because he's not an expert, it will be more time consuming and you will be charged more.
4Cooperate with your attorney. Your attorney will need documents and information from you. Prompt responses to your attorney's requests will prevent unnecessary reminder calls and letters that cost you additional fees.
Return all calls from your attorney's office as soon as possible. Your attorney has many cases that he is working on. You will be charged fees every time your attorney needs to refresh his memory regarding your case, make reminder calls, or create reminder letters.
Offer to make copies and obtain documents or records yourself. You can do some of the work, which will reduce your legal costs.
5Write out an agenda prior to any meeting you have with your attorney. It will keep you on track regarding your questions and concerns, which will make the meeting shorter and less costly.
6Take notes during every phone conference and meeting you have with your attorney. Your matter may last several months or even years. By taking notes you can refer back to them, rather than contacting your attorney to refresh your memory.
Create a journal. Keep the journal near the phone when you speak to your attorney and take the journal with you to legal meetings so you can take notes.
Date the journal entries so you know when the conversations with your attorney take place.
7Ask clarifying questions when you talk to your attorney. Don't wait until another time to clarify what your attorney is doing on your case. Waiting will create a situation in which your attorney will need to review the case again to answer your questions.
8Maintain an organized file of your case. You will receive documents, court papers and letters from your attorney's office. Keeping all the correspondence from your attorney's office in 1 central and organized place will prevent you from asking for copies of your file.
9Determine what your goals are regarding your legal matter. Don't change your mind regarding what you want the outcome to be. Continued changes may require your attorney to change the way he works on your case, which will cost more money. Your attorney will prioritize his work on your case based on the outcome you want to achieve. Most legal settlements are based on a series of compromises between the parties. The outcome you want is used by your attorney to negotiate and compromise to meet your desired conclusion.
10Rely on your attorney for legal advice and not for emotional support. If you correspond with your attorney by email, phone or in person every time you are upset because of how your legal matter is affecting your life, your attorney must respond to the correspondence. He will then charge you for the time it takes for him or his staff to respond, even though the correspondence isn't relevant to your legal issues.
11Send emails to your attorney only when necessary. Every time you send an email, you will be charged when someone spends time reading it, discussing it with office staff and replying to it.
Guide Fire an Attorney
Part 1 of 3: Deciding to Fire an Attorney
1Give the decision careful thought. A client is always allowed to fire an attorney at will, but it's not a decision that should be made lightly. Even if you don't like your attorney or don't think they're doing an excellent job, it might be worth having them finish work that's currently in progress, since firing them could be disruptive and detrimental to your case.[1] When you're making this decision, be sure that firing your attorney will actually give you the results you want in the long run.
If your attorney has already spent a lot of time on your case, it's going to be difficult for another attorney to pick up where he or she left off. It might be hard to find a new attorney who's interested in taking on your case. This is especially true if the case comes with a big lien attached.[2] Unless the new attorney stands to win a lot of money, he or she won't have much incentive to take you on as a client.
Other attorneys may also be reluctant to take your case if they see you as a "problem client." This won't be an issue if you have a great reason to fire your attorney, like if he or she has completely dropped the ball, but firing someone because you simply don't like their personality could make it difficult to find another attorney willing to take you on as a client.
Another thing to keep in mind is that depending on your case and the agreement you have with your attorney, you may still end up having to pay an expensive attorney's fee. The longer your attorney has been working on your case, the more you'll probably have to pay. If you hire a new attorney, you'll have new fees to pay as well. So switching attorneys mid-case can be quite expensive. However, if you have a good shot at winning, it might be worth it.
2Assess your reasons for wanting to change attorneys. Even though firing an attorney can complicate things, sometimes it's the best decision to make. If you don't think your attorney is handling your case with competence, it's important to find someone with whom you feel more comfortable. Firing your attorney might be the best way forward if any of the following circumstances apply to your situation:
Your attorney has been dishonest with you. If you have reason to believe your attorney has stolen from you or been otherwise grossly incompetent, you need to fire your attorney.
Your attorney has stopped communicating with you. This situation can commonly be remedied, but if your attorney simply stops responding to calls and emails, you'll need to find other representation.[3]
You're concerned that your attorney isn't doing a good job. It might be difficult to tell whether your attorney is doing competent work on your case. Before firing your attorney, it's worth investigating a bit to see if the work they're doing seems legitimate. If it doesn't, you'll need to pull the plug.
You really dislike your attorney's personality. Firing your attorney over a personality conflict isn't ideal, so it's best to do what you can to make it work. You don't necessarily have to like your attorney - especially if he or she is doing a fine job on your case. But if you simply can't work with the person and you don't want them in your life anymore, it's better to start working with someone you can trust.
3Get a second opinion. If you're not sure whether firing your attorney is the right thing to do, get the opinion of another attorney or someone who's knowledgeable about legal matters. Conduct research to find out if your attorney has been handling your case with professionalism. If it turns out that your attorney doesn't seem to adequately understand your case, and his or her decisions have been detrimental instead of helpful, you should fire your attorney.[4]
Hiring an attorney to get a second opinion usually isn't that expensive, since it only requires a few hours of the second attorney's time. It might be well worth the expense to help you decide whether you need to fire your attorney.
If you don't want to go to the trouble of hiring a second attorney, consider doing your own legal research. Go to the local law library and get more familiar with the ins and outs of your case. If you have a better understanding of your legal situation, you'll be equipped to make an informed decision about whether your attorney is doing a good job.[5]
4Express your concerns to your attorney. It's in your attorney's best interest to make you happy and ultimately win your case, so before you decide to fire your attorney, try talking things out instead. Schedule an in-person meeting or a phone call and express the concerns you have about the way things are going. Alternatively, you could write a formal letter stating specific concerns and laying out the changes you want to see. You might find that you don't have to take such drastic measures after all.
If your attorney has been uncommunicative, or hasn't been spending an adequate amount of time on your case, this gives him or her the chance to rise to the occasion. In an ideal situation you wouldn't have had to pressure your attorney to improve, but this outcome is still ultimately less disruptive than having to fire your attorney.
Have you explored other options for conflict resolution before taking the step of firing your attorney? Consider contacting your state’s bar association to request arbitration for disputes between you and your attorney.
If you still aren't satisfied after bringing up your concerns, you can fire the attorney.
Part 2 of 3: Firing an Attorney
1Read the agreement you and your attorney signed. Carefully read through any fee for services agreements or other contracts you may have signed with your attorney. Make sure you understand what fees you may be obligated to pay and what steps you may have agreed to follow in order to terminate your attorney-client relationship.
Most agreements detail a series of steps that should be taken in order to end the relationship. In addition to paying the agreed-upon fee you'll need to formally notify your attorney that the relationship is being terminated.
2Hire a new attorney. Before you officially fire your old attorney, its a good idea to hire a new one - especially if your case is still in progress. The new attorney will need time to catch up in order to ensure a smooth transition.[6] Having lag time without an attorney working on your case could be detrimental.
Hiring a new lawyer before officially firing the old one will also be helpful if you're not sure how to handle the termination. Your new attorney can help you wrap things up in a professional way. This is especially important if you end up wanting to sue the old attorney for malpractice.[7]
3Inform your attorney that you're terminating him or her. Do this according to the steps outlined in your agreement with your attorney. If your agreement doesn't outline a process for terminating the relationship, send a certified or registered letter to the attorney's place of business, stating that you are terminating the professional relationship and that he or she should immediately cease working on any and all matters related to your case.
If you prefer, you can fire your attorney over the phone or in a face-to-face conversation instead. However, it's better to have it on paper to make the termination official.
There's no need to state reasons why you're firing your attorney, unless you feel compelled to do so.[8]
If applicable, request a refund of any fees paid in advance for which the work has not yet been done. Also request an itemized billing of charges made, and review this for any discrepancies.
4Get a copy of your files. You have the right to a copy of your case files. Request your files in the termination letter, specifying where they should be sent. Set a deadline for the transfer. If you feel more comfortable picking up the files in person, state the date and time you'll be coming to get them.
You can also request that all your files be transferred to your new attorney, and set a deadline by which the transfer should be completed.
It is illegal for the attorney to try to withhold your files or pay a fee to get a copy.
Part 3 of 3: Taking Action Against an Attorney
1Consider filing a complaint. If your attorney mishandled your case, completely stopped communicating with you or made a serious mistake, you might want to file a complaint with the entity that oversees the practice of law in your state.[9] Filing a complaint will start a process in which the attorney's work is reviewed by a disciplinary board. If the complaint is found to be valid, the attorney may have to appear at a hearing. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the attorney may end up with a fine or even a revoked attorney's license.[10]
The process for filing a complaint differs by state. Contact your state's bar association or disciplinary board to find out more about the process you need to take.
If your aim is to receive damages you believe you're owed as result of your attorney's mishandling of your case, you should sue for malpractice instead of filing a complaint.
2Consider suing for malpractice. In order to sue for malpractice, you have to be able to prove that 1. Your attorney made a mistake, and 2. If your attorney hadn't made the mistake, you would have won your case.[11] Even if it's clear that your attorney messed up, you won't have a case unless you can show that it directly affected the outcome of your case and resulted in your losing money.
If you want to sue for malpractice, make sure you have a new, trustworthy attorney to help you navigate the process.
Be sure to start the lawsuit as soon as possible, since a common argument made by attorneys who are being sued for malpractice is that the client waited too long to start the lawsuit.[12]
1Give the decision careful thought. A client is always allowed to fire an attorney at will, but it's not a decision that should be made lightly. Even if you don't like your attorney or don't think they're doing an excellent job, it might be worth having them finish work that's currently in progress, since firing them could be disruptive and detrimental to your case.[1] When you're making this decision, be sure that firing your attorney will actually give you the results you want in the long run.
If your attorney has already spent a lot of time on your case, it's going to be difficult for another attorney to pick up where he or she left off. It might be hard to find a new attorney who's interested in taking on your case. This is especially true if the case comes with a big lien attached.[2] Unless the new attorney stands to win a lot of money, he or she won't have much incentive to take you on as a client.
Other attorneys may also be reluctant to take your case if they see you as a "problem client." This won't be an issue if you have a great reason to fire your attorney, like if he or she has completely dropped the ball, but firing someone because you simply don't like their personality could make it difficult to find another attorney willing to take you on as a client.
Another thing to keep in mind is that depending on your case and the agreement you have with your attorney, you may still end up having to pay an expensive attorney's fee. The longer your attorney has been working on your case, the more you'll probably have to pay. If you hire a new attorney, you'll have new fees to pay as well. So switching attorneys mid-case can be quite expensive. However, if you have a good shot at winning, it might be worth it.
2Assess your reasons for wanting to change attorneys. Even though firing an attorney can complicate things, sometimes it's the best decision to make. If you don't think your attorney is handling your case with competence, it's important to find someone with whom you feel more comfortable. Firing your attorney might be the best way forward if any of the following circumstances apply to your situation:
Your attorney has been dishonest with you. If you have reason to believe your attorney has stolen from you or been otherwise grossly incompetent, you need to fire your attorney.
Your attorney has stopped communicating with you. This situation can commonly be remedied, but if your attorney simply stops responding to calls and emails, you'll need to find other representation.[3]
You're concerned that your attorney isn't doing a good job. It might be difficult to tell whether your attorney is doing competent work on your case. Before firing your attorney, it's worth investigating a bit to see if the work they're doing seems legitimate. If it doesn't, you'll need to pull the plug.
You really dislike your attorney's personality. Firing your attorney over a personality conflict isn't ideal, so it's best to do what you can to make it work. You don't necessarily have to like your attorney - especially if he or she is doing a fine job on your case. But if you simply can't work with the person and you don't want them in your life anymore, it's better to start working with someone you can trust.
3Get a second opinion. If you're not sure whether firing your attorney is the right thing to do, get the opinion of another attorney or someone who's knowledgeable about legal matters. Conduct research to find out if your attorney has been handling your case with professionalism. If it turns out that your attorney doesn't seem to adequately understand your case, and his or her decisions have been detrimental instead of helpful, you should fire your attorney.[4]
Hiring an attorney to get a second opinion usually isn't that expensive, since it only requires a few hours of the second attorney's time. It might be well worth the expense to help you decide whether you need to fire your attorney.
If you don't want to go to the trouble of hiring a second attorney, consider doing your own legal research. Go to the local law library and get more familiar with the ins and outs of your case. If you have a better understanding of your legal situation, you'll be equipped to make an informed decision about whether your attorney is doing a good job.[5]
4Express your concerns to your attorney. It's in your attorney's best interest to make you happy and ultimately win your case, so before you decide to fire your attorney, try talking things out instead. Schedule an in-person meeting or a phone call and express the concerns you have about the way things are going. Alternatively, you could write a formal letter stating specific concerns and laying out the changes you want to see. You might find that you don't have to take such drastic measures after all.
If your attorney has been uncommunicative, or hasn't been spending an adequate amount of time on your case, this gives him or her the chance to rise to the occasion. In an ideal situation you wouldn't have had to pressure your attorney to improve, but this outcome is still ultimately less disruptive than having to fire your attorney.
Have you explored other options for conflict resolution before taking the step of firing your attorney? Consider contacting your state’s bar association to request arbitration for disputes between you and your attorney.
If you still aren't satisfied after bringing up your concerns, you can fire the attorney.
Part 2 of 3: Firing an Attorney
1Read the agreement you and your attorney signed. Carefully read through any fee for services agreements or other contracts you may have signed with your attorney. Make sure you understand what fees you may be obligated to pay and what steps you may have agreed to follow in order to terminate your attorney-client relationship.
Most agreements detail a series of steps that should be taken in order to end the relationship. In addition to paying the agreed-upon fee you'll need to formally notify your attorney that the relationship is being terminated.
2Hire a new attorney. Before you officially fire your old attorney, its a good idea to hire a new one - especially if your case is still in progress. The new attorney will need time to catch up in order to ensure a smooth transition.[6] Having lag time without an attorney working on your case could be detrimental.
Hiring a new lawyer before officially firing the old one will also be helpful if you're not sure how to handle the termination. Your new attorney can help you wrap things up in a professional way. This is especially important if you end up wanting to sue the old attorney for malpractice.[7]
3Inform your attorney that you're terminating him or her. Do this according to the steps outlined in your agreement with your attorney. If your agreement doesn't outline a process for terminating the relationship, send a certified or registered letter to the attorney's place of business, stating that you are terminating the professional relationship and that he or she should immediately cease working on any and all matters related to your case.
If you prefer, you can fire your attorney over the phone or in a face-to-face conversation instead. However, it's better to have it on paper to make the termination official.
There's no need to state reasons why you're firing your attorney, unless you feel compelled to do so.[8]
If applicable, request a refund of any fees paid in advance for which the work has not yet been done. Also request an itemized billing of charges made, and review this for any discrepancies.
4Get a copy of your files. You have the right to a copy of your case files. Request your files in the termination letter, specifying where they should be sent. Set a deadline for the transfer. If you feel more comfortable picking up the files in person, state the date and time you'll be coming to get them.
You can also request that all your files be transferred to your new attorney, and set a deadline by which the transfer should be completed.
It is illegal for the attorney to try to withhold your files or pay a fee to get a copy.
Part 3 of 3: Taking Action Against an Attorney
1Consider filing a complaint. If your attorney mishandled your case, completely stopped communicating with you or made a serious mistake, you might want to file a complaint with the entity that oversees the practice of law in your state.[9] Filing a complaint will start a process in which the attorney's work is reviewed by a disciplinary board. If the complaint is found to be valid, the attorney may have to appear at a hearing. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the attorney may end up with a fine or even a revoked attorney's license.[10]
The process for filing a complaint differs by state. Contact your state's bar association or disciplinary board to find out more about the process you need to take.
If your aim is to receive damages you believe you're owed as result of your attorney's mishandling of your case, you should sue for malpractice instead of filing a complaint.
2Consider suing for malpractice. In order to sue for malpractice, you have to be able to prove that 1. Your attorney made a mistake, and 2. If your attorney hadn't made the mistake, you would have won your case.[11] Even if it's clear that your attorney messed up, you won't have a case unless you can show that it directly affected the outcome of your case and resulted in your losing money.
If you want to sue for malpractice, make sure you have a new, trustworthy attorney to help you navigate the process.
Be sure to start the lawsuit as soon as possible, since a common argument made by attorneys who are being sued for malpractice is that the client waited too long to start the lawsuit.[12]
Guide Find an Asbestos Lawyer in Texas
1Familiarize yourself with potential candidates. Selecting the right attorney is crucial to your success. When you are determining which firm may be best, speak with the attorney and his or her staff. The attorney should be extremely knowledgeable of your state as well as federal tax law and code. His or her staff should be equally professional and easy to interact with. Many tax attorney's offer free consultations, this can allow you a cost-free evaluation of attorney candidates.
2Check candidate credentials and reputation for positive results. Ask potential candidates for their credentials. Experience in dealing with the IRS in negotiations is essential. Reputation among peers as well as clients can truly show whether an attorney has been successful in settling tax debts and dealing with IRS inquiries.
3Select an attorney you can trust. After you have established which attorney will work best with your situation, he or she will begin negotiation with the IRS on your behalf to reach a positive solution. A good attorney will keep you up to date with any information or changes pertaining to your case and will guide you through the process until a resolution has been met.
2Check candidate credentials and reputation for positive results. Ask potential candidates for their credentials. Experience in dealing with the IRS in negotiations is essential. Reputation among peers as well as clients can truly show whether an attorney has been successful in settling tax debts and dealing with IRS inquiries.
3Select an attorney you can trust. After you have established which attorney will work best with your situation, he or she will begin negotiation with the IRS on your behalf to reach a positive solution. A good attorney will keep you up to date with any information or changes pertaining to your case and will guide you through the process until a resolution has been met.
Guide Choose a Tax Attorney
1Familiarize yourself with potential candidates. Selecting the right attorney is crucial to your success. When you are determining which firm may be best, speak with the attorney and his or her staff. The attorney should be extremely knowledgeable of your state as well as federal tax law and code. His or her staff should be equally professional and easy to interact with. Many tax attorney's offer free consultations, this can allow you a cost-free evaluation of attorney candidates.
2Check candidate credentials and reputation for positive results. Ask potential candidates for their credentials. Experience in dealing with the IRS in negotiations is essential. Reputation among peers as well as clients can truly show whether an attorney has been successful in settling tax debts and dealing with IRS inquiries.
3Select an attorney you can trust. After you have established which attorney will work best with your situation, he or she will begin negotiation with the IRS on your behalf to reach a positive solution. A good attorney will keep you up to date with any information or changes pertaining to your case and will guide you through the process until a resolution has been met.
2Check candidate credentials and reputation for positive results. Ask potential candidates for their credentials. Experience in dealing with the IRS in negotiations is essential. Reputation among peers as well as clients can truly show whether an attorney has been successful in settling tax debts and dealing with IRS inquiries.
3Select an attorney you can trust. After you have established which attorney will work best with your situation, he or she will begin negotiation with the IRS on your behalf to reach a positive solution. A good attorney will keep you up to date with any information or changes pertaining to your case and will guide you through the process until a resolution has been met.
Guide Find a Mesothelioma Attorney
Method 1 of 3: Determining Jurisdiction
1Determine the appropriate county, or parish, and state in which to bring your claim. A lawsuit should be brought in the county, or parish, and state in which the person you are suing, called the Defendant, lives or operates a business.
Method 2 of 3: Comparing Attorneys
1Gather the contact information for all of the personal injury attorneys in the county, or parish, where you will file your claim. A lawyer who primarily works in the county where you will bring your suit will be familiar with local rules, have a relationship with the Court personnel and other attorneys, and will personally know the Judges in the county. Therefore, an attorney located in the county, or parish, where you will file your lawsuit is a good choice. You can find personal injury attorneys in that county by:
Checking the yellow pages. If you have a phone book for the proper county, check the attorney listings in the yellow pages. Look under personal injury if your book contains that sub-category. Gather website address and phone numbers for each attorney.
Using a local business directory. Online directories such as Yahoo Local, Yellow Pages, and Manta provide users with detailed information on local businesses.
Using an attorney directory. Popular attorney directories include Lawyers.com,[2] LawInfo,[3] and FindLaw.[4]
2Do some investigation and research. Investigate each attorney on your list. Some things you may want to do in your investigation include:
Reviewing each job candidates website. If you did not see a website URL in the advertisement where you got the contact information, search for it using your favorite search engine. Review the site for the quality of information, grammar and spelling, and visual appeal. Attorneys who maintain sites with large amounts of grammar and spelling errors, low quality articles, and a barrage of ads can be crossed of your list.
Doing a basic name search. Run a search for each attorney in your favorite search engine, putting his or her name in quotation marks, “Joseph Stephens” or “Ann Sterling” for example. Searching a person’s name or their name and location will sometimes return valuable information about them such as social media or business profiles, news items, or press releases.
Locating client reviews. Many business directories and attorney listings include information about each attorney, such as client reviews, which can be a valuable source of information when deciding who to hire in your fight for compensation.
3Make a few appointments for consultations. Choose five of the attorneys you have located and considered, and make appointments with each of them. Do not worry; the consultations will be free of charge. Attorneys representing clients in personal injury cases charge a percentage of whatever you are awarded in your suit, so unless and until you get paid, they do not.
4Prepare for your consultations. Gather any documents the attorneys have requested that you bring to your consultation, fill out any forms you are sent, and prepare a list of questions for the attorneys. When preparing your questions:
Remember you only have a certain amount of time. Most initial consultations are 30 minutes to an hour.
Think of the consultation as a job interview where you are interviewing each attorney for the job of representing you. Ask questions that will help you determine if you like any particular attorney better than you like the others.
Ask if the lawyer has handled a mesothelioma case before, approximately how many he or she has handled, and what the outcome of those cases was.[5]
5Meet with each attorney. Go to your initial consultation appointments, taking any documents the attorney requested and your list of questions. You may also want to bring along a notepad and a pen, and take some notes. Writing down your initial impression of each attorney, his or her answers to your questions, and notes about your meeting will help you remember which lawyer said and did what, so that you can better decide which attorney is right for you.
Method 3 of 3: Narrowing Down Your Choices
1Narrow your list down to three names. After meeting with at least five (5) attorneys, sit down with your notes and cross all but three off your list of potential lawyers. Some things to consider when choosing which attorneys to remove from your list include:
Your initial reaction to each. It is important that you trust your attorney and feel comfortable with him or her. You will be spending a lot of time with this person, after all.
Experience. While a younger less experienced attorney may pull at your heartstrings to give a guy, or gal, a chance, experience is too important in the selection of a mesothelioma attorney to let your heart make the final decision. Cross off any lawyers who have little to no experience with mesothelioma cases.
The answers given to your questions. Did the attorney actually answer your questions or did he or she avoid the question by talking about something else? Did all of the attorneys give the same answers? Does any particular candidate stand out as more or less qualified than the others for the job?
2Get some recommendations. Take your three (3) names to the public and let their experience help you decide which to hire. Friends, family, and complete strangers who have experience with one or more of the attorneys left on your list are all around. Find out what some of them think about your potential new attorneys by:
Calling, texting, emailing, or otherwise contacting some family members who may know or your used the services of any of your job candidates. Ask for their professional and personal opinion of any of the lawyers on your list.
Talking to co-workers about their experiences with your potential candidates. Even if a co-worker has never hired one of the attorneys on your list, he or she may know one or more of them professionally or personally and be able to provide you with useful information.
Checking online reviews by current and former clients. Local business directories, such as Yahoo Local, and attorney directories, such as Lawyers.com, offer client reviews of listed businesses.
Looking at disciplinary records. State bar associations keep public records about complaints and disciplinary actions taken against attorneys licensed to practice in the state. You can find your bar association’s website by selecting your state from the State & Local Bar Associations page[6] provided by the American Bar Association.
3Choose an attorney. Select an attorney from your remaining three. If you are unsure about which to choose, go with your instincts. Your instincts are likely telling you to choose the attorney you happened to like the most, and since you will be working very closely with your mesothelioma attorney, it is important that you like him or her.
1Determine the appropriate county, or parish, and state in which to bring your claim. A lawsuit should be brought in the county, or parish, and state in which the person you are suing, called the Defendant, lives or operates a business.
Method 2 of 3: Comparing Attorneys
1Gather the contact information for all of the personal injury attorneys in the county, or parish, where you will file your claim. A lawyer who primarily works in the county where you will bring your suit will be familiar with local rules, have a relationship with the Court personnel and other attorneys, and will personally know the Judges in the county. Therefore, an attorney located in the county, or parish, where you will file your lawsuit is a good choice. You can find personal injury attorneys in that county by:
Checking the yellow pages. If you have a phone book for the proper county, check the attorney listings in the yellow pages. Look under personal injury if your book contains that sub-category. Gather website address and phone numbers for each attorney.
Using a local business directory. Online directories such as Yahoo Local, Yellow Pages, and Manta provide users with detailed information on local businesses.
Using an attorney directory. Popular attorney directories include Lawyers.com,[2] LawInfo,[3] and FindLaw.[4]
2Do some investigation and research. Investigate each attorney on your list. Some things you may want to do in your investigation include:
Reviewing each job candidates website. If you did not see a website URL in the advertisement where you got the contact information, search for it using your favorite search engine. Review the site for the quality of information, grammar and spelling, and visual appeal. Attorneys who maintain sites with large amounts of grammar and spelling errors, low quality articles, and a barrage of ads can be crossed of your list.
Doing a basic name search. Run a search for each attorney in your favorite search engine, putting his or her name in quotation marks, “Joseph Stephens” or “Ann Sterling” for example. Searching a person’s name or their name and location will sometimes return valuable information about them such as social media or business profiles, news items, or press releases.
Locating client reviews. Many business directories and attorney listings include information about each attorney, such as client reviews, which can be a valuable source of information when deciding who to hire in your fight for compensation.
3Make a few appointments for consultations. Choose five of the attorneys you have located and considered, and make appointments with each of them. Do not worry; the consultations will be free of charge. Attorneys representing clients in personal injury cases charge a percentage of whatever you are awarded in your suit, so unless and until you get paid, they do not.
4Prepare for your consultations. Gather any documents the attorneys have requested that you bring to your consultation, fill out any forms you are sent, and prepare a list of questions for the attorneys. When preparing your questions:
Remember you only have a certain amount of time. Most initial consultations are 30 minutes to an hour.
Think of the consultation as a job interview where you are interviewing each attorney for the job of representing you. Ask questions that will help you determine if you like any particular attorney better than you like the others.
Ask if the lawyer has handled a mesothelioma case before, approximately how many he or she has handled, and what the outcome of those cases was.[5]
5Meet with each attorney. Go to your initial consultation appointments, taking any documents the attorney requested and your list of questions. You may also want to bring along a notepad and a pen, and take some notes. Writing down your initial impression of each attorney, his or her answers to your questions, and notes about your meeting will help you remember which lawyer said and did what, so that you can better decide which attorney is right for you.
Method 3 of 3: Narrowing Down Your Choices
1Narrow your list down to three names. After meeting with at least five (5) attorneys, sit down with your notes and cross all but three off your list of potential lawyers. Some things to consider when choosing which attorneys to remove from your list include:
Your initial reaction to each. It is important that you trust your attorney and feel comfortable with him or her. You will be spending a lot of time with this person, after all.
Experience. While a younger less experienced attorney may pull at your heartstrings to give a guy, or gal, a chance, experience is too important in the selection of a mesothelioma attorney to let your heart make the final decision. Cross off any lawyers who have little to no experience with mesothelioma cases.
The answers given to your questions. Did the attorney actually answer your questions or did he or she avoid the question by talking about something else? Did all of the attorneys give the same answers? Does any particular candidate stand out as more or less qualified than the others for the job?
2Get some recommendations. Take your three (3) names to the public and let their experience help you decide which to hire. Friends, family, and complete strangers who have experience with one or more of the attorneys left on your list are all around. Find out what some of them think about your potential new attorneys by:
Calling, texting, emailing, or otherwise contacting some family members who may know or your used the services of any of your job candidates. Ask for their professional and personal opinion of any of the lawyers on your list.
Talking to co-workers about their experiences with your potential candidates. Even if a co-worker has never hired one of the attorneys on your list, he or she may know one or more of them professionally or personally and be able to provide you with useful information.
Checking online reviews by current and former clients. Local business directories, such as Yahoo Local, and attorney directories, such as Lawyers.com, offer client reviews of listed businesses.
Looking at disciplinary records. State bar associations keep public records about complaints and disciplinary actions taken against attorneys licensed to practice in the state. You can find your bar association’s website by selecting your state from the State & Local Bar Associations page[6] provided by the American Bar Association.
3Choose an attorney. Select an attorney from your remaining three. If you are unsure about which to choose, go with your instincts. Your instincts are likely telling you to choose the attorney you happened to like the most, and since you will be working very closely with your mesothelioma attorney, it is important that you like him or her.
Guide Find a Family Attorney
1Think about what you may need your family attorney to do. Not all families will require the same types of legal services from their family attorney. The first step in finding the attorney that is right for your family, therefore, is determining what types of services your family attorney may need to provide. Some services that you may want your family attorney to provide include:
Estate planning. Estate planning includes drafting and executing financial and healthcare powers of attorney, setting up and managing trusts, and drafting and executing Living Wills and Last Wills and Testaments.
Drafting of pre- and post- marital agreements. Many family law attorneys help protect the family’s assets by drafting pre and post marital agreements for members who are getting married or are just recently married.
Tax planning and advice. While tax evasion is illegal, tax planning, planning ahead and moving/spending/saving money in a way that minimizes your taxes is legal and something with which many may want their family attorney to assist them.
Small business formations and agreements. Families who operate small business may need a family attorney to draft various business agreements and assist them with corporate formations, minutes, and other business documents.
Adoptions and guardianships. Adding new family members through adoption and/or caring for elderly or disabled family members through guardianships is a part of life for many, and you may want your family attorney to be able to assist with this type of proceeding should the need arise.
Criminal defense. Many families prefer a family attorney who can assist with traffic tickets, code violations, and other minor criminal matters.
2Decide in what county or parish your attorney should practice. While many believe that an attorney from a big city is best, that is not usually the case. Generally, an attorney who works in the county where the litigation or legal work is located is best. This is because he or she will be familiar with the other attorneys, Judges, and Court staff as well as any local rules, which may affect procedure. Therefore, you should choose a county or parish where most of your legal issues are located, such as in the county where you live or own a business.
3Make a list of the qualified attorneys in your area. You can locate qualified attorneys in the area you have chosen in a number of ways:
Check the yellow pages of the phone book. Many attorneys place ads in the phone book, which list their areas of expertise. The attorney section of your phone book may also be divided into different categories of practice, so that you can find the attorneys who practice the type(s) of law your family may need.
Use an online directory. Many websites offer searchable directories of attorneys. Popular directories include Lawyers.com, LawInfo, and FindLaw.
Check local business listing websites. Many websites such as Yahoo Local, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and Merchant Circle provide searchable local listings.
Run a search using your favorite search engine. Use your favorite search engine to search for attorneys in your area.
4Locate the website of each attorney on your list. To do this, go to your favorite search engine and search the names on your list one at a time. Some tips for searching include:
Place each name that you search in quotation marks. For example, search for “John Doe” not John Doe.
Include the name of your state in your search. For example, if you are looking for attorney John Doe in Wisconsin, search “’John Doe’ and Wisconsin”.
Add additional search terms. If you need to further narrow your results in order to locate the name on your list, add the word ‘attorney’ to your search. For example, “attorney and ’John Doe’ and Wisconsin”. You may also want to try adding the name of your county or parish or the word lawyer to your search terms.
5Review each attorney’s website. Your goal while reviewing each site is to eliminate names from your list of qualified family attorneys. Some things you may want to look for when determining which names to cross off include:
Grammar and spelling errors. Anyone can miss a typo or a comma when proofreading something they have written, but a service provider, such as an attorney, who is serious about providing a quality service, will not let much slide past them. A real professional’s website should be well written, free of spelling and grammatical errors, and sound intelligent and professional.
Qualifications. Every attorney has a bachelor degree (“B.S.”), a law degree (“J.S.”), and is a member of the state Bar Association. Beyond that, you may want to look for information about what school each attorney attended, what professional associations each belongs to, and what areas of law he or she practice.
Quality of the site and information provided. A professional who cares about the quality of his or her service, will also care about the quality of their website. They will provide information that is helpful to potential clients, not just advertising blurb, and a phone number.
6Make some appointments. Make an appointment with each of the attorneys remaining on your list. If any of them do not offer free initial consultations, you may want to cross them off your list without meeting with them. It is generally not wise to agree to pay someone for his or her time until you have been given the opportunity to interview him or her for the job. Any reputable attorney will meet with you for a minimum of thirty minutes free of charge.
7Prepare for your appointments. You should think of each initial consultation with an attorney as a job interview, after all, you are interviewing them for the position of your attorney. To prepare for the interview:
Write a job description. Before you can interview someone for a job, you must know exactly what the job will entail. Writing a job description will help you identify the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the job of your family’s attorney.
Make up a list of questions to ask. Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview. Your questions should attempt to illicit answers that will help you decide who to hire. For example, if estate planning is important to you and will be a large part of your family attorneys’ work, you may want ask specific questions about each attorney’s estate planning experience and how they might help with your estate plan.
Gather everything you will need. Along with your list of questions and job description, you will want to bring a notepad and pen so that you can take notes during the interview.
8Meet with each attorney and take notes. Record your initial reaction to each attorney, and his or her staff, so that you will have that information later, when you narrow down your list of job candidates.
9Revise your list. Review your initial consultation notes and then narrow down your list of qualified family attorneys by crossing off any who made you uncomfortable, did not answer all of your questions, charged too much, or you simply did not like.
10Get a second opinion. When choosing a family attorney, you do not have to rely solely on your instincts. Get second or third opinions about each attorney remaining on your list. You can do this by:
Talking to friends and family. Ask friends, co-workers, and family members about the attorneys they have used in the past, and find out who they like and dislike, and more importantly, why.
Looking for online reviews. Strangers can sometimes be just as helpful as friends and family when looking for a second opinion about any particular lawyer. Check for online reviews at website such as Lawyers.com, Yahoo Local, and YellowPages.com offer online reviews of local businesses.
Checking attorney disciplinary records. Look to see if any of the attorneys remaining on your list have ever been disciplined by the state bar association by following the link for your state at FindLaw’s Researching Attorney Discipline page.
Looking to see if the [1] Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) has receiving any complaints.
Estate planning. Estate planning includes drafting and executing financial and healthcare powers of attorney, setting up and managing trusts, and drafting and executing Living Wills and Last Wills and Testaments.
Drafting of pre- and post- marital agreements. Many family law attorneys help protect the family’s assets by drafting pre and post marital agreements for members who are getting married or are just recently married.
Tax planning and advice. While tax evasion is illegal, tax planning, planning ahead and moving/spending/saving money in a way that minimizes your taxes is legal and something with which many may want their family attorney to assist them.
Small business formations and agreements. Families who operate small business may need a family attorney to draft various business agreements and assist them with corporate formations, minutes, and other business documents.
Adoptions and guardianships. Adding new family members through adoption and/or caring for elderly or disabled family members through guardianships is a part of life for many, and you may want your family attorney to be able to assist with this type of proceeding should the need arise.
Criminal defense. Many families prefer a family attorney who can assist with traffic tickets, code violations, and other minor criminal matters.
2Decide in what county or parish your attorney should practice. While many believe that an attorney from a big city is best, that is not usually the case. Generally, an attorney who works in the county where the litigation or legal work is located is best. This is because he or she will be familiar with the other attorneys, Judges, and Court staff as well as any local rules, which may affect procedure. Therefore, you should choose a county or parish where most of your legal issues are located, such as in the county where you live or own a business.
3Make a list of the qualified attorneys in your area. You can locate qualified attorneys in the area you have chosen in a number of ways:
Check the yellow pages of the phone book. Many attorneys place ads in the phone book, which list their areas of expertise. The attorney section of your phone book may also be divided into different categories of practice, so that you can find the attorneys who practice the type(s) of law your family may need.
Use an online directory. Many websites offer searchable directories of attorneys. Popular directories include Lawyers.com, LawInfo, and FindLaw.
Check local business listing websites. Many websites such as Yahoo Local, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and Merchant Circle provide searchable local listings.
Run a search using your favorite search engine. Use your favorite search engine to search for attorneys in your area.
4Locate the website of each attorney on your list. To do this, go to your favorite search engine and search the names on your list one at a time. Some tips for searching include:
Place each name that you search in quotation marks. For example, search for “John Doe” not John Doe.
Include the name of your state in your search. For example, if you are looking for attorney John Doe in Wisconsin, search “’John Doe’ and Wisconsin”.
Add additional search terms. If you need to further narrow your results in order to locate the name on your list, add the word ‘attorney’ to your search. For example, “attorney and ’John Doe’ and Wisconsin”. You may also want to try adding the name of your county or parish or the word lawyer to your search terms.
5Review each attorney’s website. Your goal while reviewing each site is to eliminate names from your list of qualified family attorneys. Some things you may want to look for when determining which names to cross off include:
Grammar and spelling errors. Anyone can miss a typo or a comma when proofreading something they have written, but a service provider, such as an attorney, who is serious about providing a quality service, will not let much slide past them. A real professional’s website should be well written, free of spelling and grammatical errors, and sound intelligent and professional.
Qualifications. Every attorney has a bachelor degree (“B.S.”), a law degree (“J.S.”), and is a member of the state Bar Association. Beyond that, you may want to look for information about what school each attorney attended, what professional associations each belongs to, and what areas of law he or she practice.
Quality of the site and information provided. A professional who cares about the quality of his or her service, will also care about the quality of their website. They will provide information that is helpful to potential clients, not just advertising blurb, and a phone number.
6Make some appointments. Make an appointment with each of the attorneys remaining on your list. If any of them do not offer free initial consultations, you may want to cross them off your list without meeting with them. It is generally not wise to agree to pay someone for his or her time until you have been given the opportunity to interview him or her for the job. Any reputable attorney will meet with you for a minimum of thirty minutes free of charge.
7Prepare for your appointments. You should think of each initial consultation with an attorney as a job interview, after all, you are interviewing them for the position of your attorney. To prepare for the interview:
Write a job description. Before you can interview someone for a job, you must know exactly what the job will entail. Writing a job description will help you identify the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the job of your family’s attorney.
Make up a list of questions to ask. Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview. Your questions should attempt to illicit answers that will help you decide who to hire. For example, if estate planning is important to you and will be a large part of your family attorneys’ work, you may want ask specific questions about each attorney’s estate planning experience and how they might help with your estate plan.
Gather everything you will need. Along with your list of questions and job description, you will want to bring a notepad and pen so that you can take notes during the interview.
8Meet with each attorney and take notes. Record your initial reaction to each attorney, and his or her staff, so that you will have that information later, when you narrow down your list of job candidates.
9Revise your list. Review your initial consultation notes and then narrow down your list of qualified family attorneys by crossing off any who made you uncomfortable, did not answer all of your questions, charged too much, or you simply did not like.
10Get a second opinion. When choosing a family attorney, you do not have to rely solely on your instincts. Get second or third opinions about each attorney remaining on your list. You can do this by:
Talking to friends and family. Ask friends, co-workers, and family members about the attorneys they have used in the past, and find out who they like and dislike, and more importantly, why.
Looking for online reviews. Strangers can sometimes be just as helpful as friends and family when looking for a second opinion about any particular lawyer. Check for online reviews at website such as Lawyers.com, Yahoo Local, and YellowPages.com offer online reviews of local businesses.
Checking attorney disciplinary records. Look to see if any of the attorneys remaining on your list have ever been disciplined by the state bar association by following the link for your state at FindLaw’s Researching Attorney Discipline page.
Looking to see if the [1] Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) has receiving any complaints.
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