How to Find a Lawyer

I have heard all the lawyer jokes ~ What do you call 100 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?  A good start!  And some of them are kind of funny.  But there comes a point in many people’s lives where they need legal assistance.  For many people it is something simple like preparing their will (which everyone needs to do!).  For others it is a little more complicated and they may need assistance with a divorce, custody, or criminal situations.

I have been asked many times, “how do I find a good lawyer.”  In the age of Twitter, Facebook, and FourSquare, (yes, I have been told people actually use all three of those services to look for legal assistance) it can be confusing n to figure out what lawyer best suits your needs.

The best thing you can search for is referrals.  There is nothing better than someone you know and trust telling you first hand what they liked (or disliked) about a certain professional.  Beware though of people who tell you “my hair dresser’s, cousin’s, brother’s, baby mama really got everything she wanted with X attorney.”  Also beware of sites that “rate” attorneys.  Most of these come from people posting their opinions but there is nothing to regulate who rates the attorney, if they have ever even used that attorney’s service, or what they base their rating on.

Most state bar associations (the organization that regulates attorneys) will have a section on their website where you can look to find an attorney.  Many will allow you to search by city/region and practice area and will also have information on any disciplinary action that may have been taken against that attorney.

So whether you are looking for a domestic violence attorney in Arizona or need assistance finding the right DWI attorney in New York, make sure you do your research.