Attorney

You suddenly find yourself in a situation where you need an attorney to advise and help you with a difficult or potentially difficult problem.  This is the first time you have ever found yourself in the need of an attorney.  Who do you use?  How do you find a attorney?  Do you just go the the yellow pages of your telephone directory and pick a name from it?  How do you know who would be a good attorney for your case?

The first decision you must make is the type of attorney you need to represent you.  By this I mean do you need a real estate attorney, a DUI attorney, a divorce attorney, a family law attorney or what?  Attorneys specialize in their field of practice and it does not do you any good to hire the best criminal defense attorney in the state when you need assistance with a real estate transaction.  Once you have selected a potential attorney for your case you will meet with him to determine if he is a good attorney for you. 

During the initial meeting you will need to determine if you feel comfortable with this individual?  He may be an outstanding attorney in his field but if you do not feel comfortable in his presence he may be a bad attorney for you.  You must have trust in his ability to handle your case and in his interest in your case.  Ask the following questions during the initial interview:
1.  Will he be handling your case himself or will assistants be handling your case?
2.  What experience does he have in handling cases similiar to your case?
3.  Is he licensed to practice in the county where you need him?
4.  Does he feel you have a reasonable chance to win your case?  He needs to be honest and frank concerning your case and tell you if he feels uncomfortable about any part of your case.
5.  How long does he expect it to take to resolve your case based on his past experience?  What problem areas may you encounter with your case?
6.  He must discuss all aspects of his fee schedule and other potential costs involved in trying your case so there will be no confusion about costs later on.
7.  During this first meeting did he listen to you carefully, review your file(s) thoroughly, ask questions to clear up any doubts about your case and take notes throughout the meeting?

These seem to be common sense questions but they will help you gain a feeling of confidence in your attorney and help you decide if he is the one to help you.  At this point your attorney may tell you that you don't have a good chance of winning the case or he may tell you he is not the attorney you need for this case.