Guide to Finding Law Firm Lawyer

A brief guide to law firm lawyers

When many people think of law firms, they think of passionate courtroom speeches and large buildings filled expensive attorneys. In fact, being a law firm lawyer can mean anything from being a one-man operation to acting as part of a larger corporate structure. If you are thinking of hiring legal counsel, here are some things to keep in mind about who you’re hiring.

Parts of the law firm

In some cases, a law firm lawyer is his or her own boss, making them a “solo practitioner.” Otherwise, there is no limit to how large a firm could be.

There are two main kinds of law firm lawyers:

• Litigation lawyers work in the courtroom, speaking on a client’s behalf and presenting their case

• Transactional lawyers stay out of the courtroom and focus on paperwork, such as contracts, business agreements and other areas where preventive litigation is helpful

Within the business, there are two different levels of attorneys:

• Partners, who own the business and split profits after paying their employees

• Associates, consisting of full-time employees who work for a fixed salary

Depending on the size of the law firm, other employees can include:

• Paralegals who perform paperwork under an attorney’s supervision

• Librarians who maintain records and assist with research

What to look for in a law firm

When you begin looking for legal counsel, the best people to ask for recommendations are friends and relative. Your state or local bar association can also issue referrals, though a fee may be charged. Before agreeing to meet with any law firm lawyers, look up their disciplinary records online and make sure they are in good legal standing.

Many law firms advertise themselves online, often in grandiose language. Whether you’re trying to prevent a lawsuit, filing one or defending yourself against one, it’s important to have someone representing you who you can trust to work in your best interest. During your first meeting with any law firm lawyer, you should:

• Be clear about your expectations and hopes from any legal course of action you hope to take.

• Be honest and prepared to answer any questions a law firm lawyer may have

• Have all of your questions answered forthrightly and clearly

Be alert to the signs of any attorney whose answers and promises seem too good to be true. You may need to have meetings with multiple law firm lawyers before you find legal counsel you feel comfortable with.

Questions to ask during your first meeting

When you start having first meetings with any law firm lawyers, be sure to establish clearly who you’re talking to. Questions to ask include:

• What is your position within the firm?

• What level of direct contact will I be having with you?

• Will you be handling my case directly, or will one of your partners/associates be in charge?

• How many people will be working on my case?

• What expertise or specialized experience do you have in my area?

• If you do not have specialized experience relevant to my case, can you refer me to a colleague who does?

• How often can I expect to hear from your firm about my case?

• Who will be in charge of keeping me informed about any work done on my behalf?

• If I need to arrange a meeting with you, how soon I expect to receive an appointment?

Billing

Because a law firm can be a large entity with many different moving parts, it’s important to get a clear idea of how many people may be working on your behalf. This will affect the size of your expenses. During your first meeting with any law firm lawyer, be sure to

• get a detailed estimation of what you will be expected to pay

• receive a timeline of how long any legal action you undertake will last

• what basis you will be paying on: by the hour, for specific services, at a flat rate, or on a contingency basis, meaning your law firm lawyer will be paid in the form of a percentage of any legal settlement.

If you are going to trial, your attorney’s firm may be able to pay for some of the expenses. However, there may be other pretrial expenses you will be accountable, such as filing legal paperwork or hiring the services of an expert witness. Ask about any expenses you do not understand and get everything in writing. This will help prevent unpleasant surprises later on.

Types of law firm lawyers

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-lawyer. Many large law firms offer a variety of services and will direct you to a lawyer within their business who specializes in the area of litigation you need help with. Some common varieties of attorney include:

• Personal injury lawyers deal with people filing for damages they believe another person or corporation is substantially responsible for.

• Business lawyers look over contracts, agreements and employers’ paperwork. This generally qualifies as “preventive litigation,” where the law firm lawyer makes sure everything you sign or consent to does not present the risk of future litigation.

• Criminal defense attorneys help defend those accused of criminal charges

• Bankruptcy lawyers help with the complex, highly technical bankruptcy process

Problems with law firm lawyers

Part of the importance of establishing a reliable, trustworthy attorney-client relationship at the outset is to prevent you from regretting your choice of legal counsel later on.

If you feel you have been overcharged, most states’ bar associations or court systems have different methods to allow you to file an official fee dispute or complaint. In most cases, unless your lawyer has stolen money from you or otherwise acted unethically, it can be difficult to receive compensation for any misrepresentation. By doing your homework before and during your first meeting with any law firm lawyers, you can hopefully needing to switch or sue attorneys.