Guide to Finding Arlington Lawyer

If you’re in the state of Texas, living in Arlington, and are in need of an experienced attorney, know this: you have some work to do. And why wouldn’t you? This is all about livelihood. Maybe you’re dealing with a lawsuit. Or you’re filing a claim. Or you’re just dealing with a divorce.

No matter what, getting a good Arlington lawyer is crucial to getting past the turmoil, whatever that turmoil may be. But this will take some good research, time, patience, and a well-informed decision.

These are the steps to take in finding the best Arlington lawyer money can buy.

• Get Some Research Going

This means getting down into the books. The Yellow Book, that is. Some may call it the Yellow Pages. Look under the category ‘Lawyers’ (or it might be under ‘Attorneys’ or just plain ‘Law’) and take a good look at all the listings for Arlington, Texas.

There’s a lot there, right? Now of course, a client’s going to want to develop a shortlist of all these Arlington lawyers, but the main purpose of sifting through the ads is to find the attorneys out there that specialize in the particular case a client’s dealing with.

For instance: if a client has a real estate issue going on, that client’s going to want to find an Arlington lawyer specializing in real estate law; if a client’s dealing with a botched-up surgery in a hospital, he or she’s going to want to find a darn good malpractice lawyer.

So don’t just develop a shortlist of random Arlington lawyers. Find those specializing in the niche you need.

The Yellow Pages isn’t the only resource, though. A client can also go online and do a quick search on Google for Arlington lawyers in the area. It actually might be possible to not only find more lawyers listed online than in the Pages, but to also find out more information about these lawyers.

Again, though, a client mainly needs to get the research going this way specifically for that shortlist. Why?

• The Free Consultation

Some people might not believe this, but this is actual common practice for any Arlington lawyer – or any lawyer anywhere in the United States, for that matter – to offer a free consultation.

That’s basically a meeting at no charge to discuss the case and get an initial feel both for the attorney and the client. A priceless hour that can determine a lot about how to move forward.

Typically, a client will ask questions like:

 What kind of experience do you have?

 Do you have experience in the court room?

 What kind of cases have you tried?

 Are you licensed with the State Bar Association?

 How many cases have you won?

 How many cases have you lost?

 How many cases are you taking right now?

 How much do you charge?

 Can you take my case?

 If not, can you point me to a lawyer you know who CAN?

That last question is an important one, too. As all these questions will benefit the client in determining whether this particular Arlington lawyer is one to keep on the shortlist, hearing the details of the case will benefit the attorney in choosing whether or not to accept the job.

Don’t be surprised if any particular lawyer may say that the case is “not for me.” It’s not an insult. It’s simply a matter of fact. A lawyer needs to know for sure if he or she can have a good chance in winning it. If the Arlington lawyer doesn’t feel like there’s a good chance, he or she won’t take it. It’s nothing against the case or the client.

Whatever the case, this is one of the main reasons for the free consultation. Narrowing down the shortlist.

Now for the second step:

• See the Arlington Lawyers in Action

Most likely, a client will have whittled down a few off the shortlist just from the free consultation. Which is good. The next step – and this would typically take some guts to do – is to get into a courthouse during any hearing that any particular lawyer might be working –

And see them in action!

This means sitting in the court room and watching the attorney work. See how the judge responds. Examine just how the attorney examines a witness, delivers an opening statement, fires out a closing statement.

If the attorney looks natural in the court room, you can bet that the lawyer may be a natural with you and your case. It’s a fair shake that a lawyer who knows what he or she is doing may have a better chance in winning your claim or suit.

This, of course, would take some time to do. But once you’re done, you may actually have a shortlist narrowed down to two candidates. So now for the last step….

• Which One Do You Like?

A client needs to pose this question and consider it carefully. By now, a client would have learned a wealth of information from both Arlington lawyers – such as rates, mode of payment, demeanor, experience, etc. etc.

Consider the modes of payment, especially; because it can make a difference in your decision.

For instance: if one lawyer charges by a “retainer” fee, and the other does an hourly rate and contingency, you might want to go with the latter.

A “retainer” fee is basically a down payment on the services of the attorney – whereas an hourly rate and contingency can basically be covered after the settlement (if there is one), plus the hourly rate can vary in terms of number of hours. That, of course, can depend on the complexity of the case.

The important question to ask, though, is this: which one you like best? A good attorney has to basically have a good attitude, a good personality. Someone you can trust. This person’s going to be representing you, so that person better understand you well.

In particular, that free consultation would hint at the likelihood that any given lawyer may work quite well with you and your case. So fall back on that and make your choice accordingly.

In the End, It All Depends on You

This is your case. Your livelihood. And the right lawyer will make a difference.

But you have to go through each step carefully, and don’t make a hasty choice haphazardly. There’s plenty of time to get the ball rolling.

But the important thing is this: make sure the ball rolls in the right direction.