Guide to Finding Portland Lawyer

Portland is one of America’s fastest rising cities, with a population that has been on the rise for decades. With so many people and businesses rushing to the city, it is not hard to imagine how legal issues could quickly develop. Portland lawyers aren’t hard to find, but getting the right one for you and knowing what to look for isn’t easy. Here are a few things that you should know about while you consider contacting a Portland lawyer.

Types of Portland Lawyers

Before you start looking for a Portland lawyer, you should have clear understanding of what your legal needs are and what kind of a Portland lawyer you’d benefit from. Here are a few broad categories that Portland lawyers may practice within:

1. Criminal Law: These laws govern how people interact in society. Anything from a traffic violation to a murder may be judged a violation of criminal law. Some Portland lawyers work for the state and prosecute accused criminals, while others help to defend them. All citizens accused of a criminal crime are entitled to an attorney provided by the state, but many opt to hire their own out of pocket.

2. Tort Law: This is the category of law including most lawsuits such as personal injury lawsuits or slander lawsuits. The violations alleged in tort law are less severe than in a criminal court, and no jail-time can be prescribed in a tort law ruling. However, incredibly heavy fines can be inflected, fines which are enough to destroy many companies or individuals.

3. Family Law: Matters concerning marriage, divorce and children are argued in a family law.

4. Appellate Law: When individuals do not like how a case was decided because of undo conduct or because important evidence was neglected, they may file an appeal. Make sure to get a Portland lawyer to help on an appeal since they’re so complex that they’re difficult for laymen to do properly.

5. Bankruptcy Law: This court helps individuals get their financial situation together and manage their debt. All Portland businesses are legally obligated to hire a Portland lawyer to help with their bankruptcy case, but for individuals this is strictly optional.

Finding Your Portland Lawyer

Portland has so many legal professionals now that it can be difficult to know the right place to look for the one who can best help you with your concerns. Thankfully, a few well-tested methods are in existence that might help you find the perfect Portland lawyer to help you win big.

1. Ask for a recommendation: Legal issues are so common that it is far from some stretch of the imagination to believe that one of your friends, coworkers or family members has needed to employ a Portland lawyer in the best. Some of these Portland lawyers may work in a field with no baring on your case—perhaps they’re a bankruptcy lawyer and you need to fight criminal charges—but recommendations are a good place to start your search. Even those Portland lawyers who don’t seem relevant, like the bankruptcy lawyer in the example, may be able to refer you to just the Portland lawyer that you’ve been looking for.

2. Call a referral service: Referral services are wonderful because they have all the benefits of personal recommendations without the exclusivity or the possible randomness of the selections. When you call one, you’ll be asked by a trained professional about your legal needs and where you live. You’ll then be referred to a nearby Portland lawyer ready to help you win your case. These services cost a small fee normally, but the first consultation is included. Since the referred to lawyer is picked just for your needs, you know they have relevant experience, and since the service pre-screens all their Portland lawyers, you can rest assured that you’re in capable legal hands. To contact the referral service of the Oregon State Bar, call 800-452-7636 or visit them online here.

3. Don’t disregard ads: No matter how cheesy the ad is, the important fact is that a Portland lawyer has advertised at all. This costs a significant amount, so it means that the Portland lawyer in question has had a particularly successful practice thus far and therefore warrants your consideration.

4. And always research: No matter whether you’re using one of the above methods or another, such as using the yellow pages or a legal directory, be sure to research any Portland lawyer who you are considering. That means seeing if they’ve been in or on the news recently and seeing if they’ve written any legal articles or opinions. Go to the Oregon State Bar website and make sure that your Portland lawyer is registered with the bar and has had no disciplinary actions taken taken against them. That directory is located here.

If You Have a Problem With Your Portland Lawyer

No one is at their best behavior when they contact a Portland lawyer, nor should they have to be. The combined stresses from the legal issues that jump start a search are enough to drive anyone to argue, and the high stakes involved are certainly enough to warrant such disputes. After a heated argument with your Portland lawyer, try to let matters sit for a day while you reflect upon them. Usually, the cause of the argument will seem insignificant with time.

Unfortunately, sometimes serious ethical violations are at the heart of legal arguments. An example of an ethical violation is your Portland lawyer breaking attorney-client privilege to divulge your personal information even without your permission, or your Portland lawyer not filing the correct forms on time and thusly doing great harm to your case. Such violations should be reported to the Disciplinary Counsel of the Oregon State Supreme Court, which can be reached at 800-452-8260. An investigation will be launched, possibly resulting in debarment or worse.

You should not contact the Disciplinary Counsel if your dispute is in fact a fee dispute resulting from your Portland lawyer’s legal bills. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any recourse available. The Oregon State Bar offers a Fee Arbitration Program which gives voluntary counseling to Portland lawyers and their clients who are involved in fee disputes. The counseling is done in a formalized setting called “arbitration” that is nonetheless less formal than a court, and a resolution is sought that will make both sides happy. There is no cost, and the process may take a few months. Contact the Program’s coordinator by phone at 503-431-6334.