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With thousands of licensed practicing attorneys in Ohio, and countless yellow pages ads and television commercials extolling the virtues of seemingly countless lawyers, how does one come to choose an attorney who can make a difference in their family law case, and consequently an important difference in their life? Although it may seem like an overwhelmingly difficult task to sort through the various claims to find the right lawyer for you, the task is really not that difficult if you know how to approach the process, and the right questions to ask. The first thing you want to do is limit your choices from the hundreds of potential lawyers down to a manageable number, say two, three or four at the most. You can do this by carefully checking the credentials of the available lawyers in your geographic area to see who has the experience and expertise you seek. Ways to check, include initially scanning the yellow pages, or cruising the internet, and finding those lawyers who practice in the area of law, and geographic area of your case. In doing so, try and find those with the specific attributes you seek and then continue to winnow the numbers down based upon additional investigation and research. You may also want to call firms that DO NOT handle the kind of case you have, and ask them who they would recommend, and you will usually begin to hear the same names repeated, which can be an indication of who other lawyers think are qualified to handle your case. Once you have a reasonable pool of potential lawyers, find out about each one's specific qualifications. Interview the attorney as you would any potential employee. Ask them the indispensable 8 questions EVERY potential client should ask any lawyer they are considering hiring: When you go for your first appointment with the lawyer, make sure they make you feel comfortable, listen to you, and give you the time you need to explain your case. Talk to friends, especially friends who have used these particular lawyers before, who may have insight into what to expect, and if you know anyone with special insight into the local legal field, such as lawyers, legal secretaries or court personnel, call them and find out what they know of the lawyer's reputation, experience, expertise and work ethic. Finally, go with what your head and gut level instincts tell you. Do not choose a lawyer just because they are the cheapest, nor because they are the most expensive, but try instead to find the one that will do the best possible job for you. If you later become dissatisfied, talk to your attorney about your concerns, but remember it is your life, and if the problems persist and do not get resolved to your satisfaction, consider changing lawyers. |
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