I need to hire an attorney, and there are many things that need to be looked at before the attorney can decide what action they will take. That, of course, will cost me and if I think the attorney is not capable of acting on the case properly, it may cost me more than once.
What things could I do besides looking at the rankings from my state bar?
Check the yellow pages for the at attorney referral service in your area.
If there have been any problems with any attorney they are removed from the referral list. They will refer you to attorneys with the specialty you need. You get a free 1/2 hour consultation with each one. This insures you are seeing attorneys that have already been screened and give you a chance to try different one for one you feel you can best work with at no cost to you.
If u ever find a good lawyer, tell me. I’ve never found one to represent me. I get arrested alot! All for BS like public intox, disorderly conduct, drunk driving, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of pot, paraphenalia, criminal mischief, shop-lifting, trespassing…all little sh*t (like it matters). They all say I have a borderline personality which I think is an extremely rude thing to say to another person, and that they want nothing to do with me, and to see a psychiatrist instead, which I refuse to do. What did you get nailed for?
Talk to frends and family that might have had a good attorney themselves.
Pick an attorney who specializes in the field of law you’re interested in. For example, if you want to write a will, pick an attorney who mostly writes wills. Best, however, is get a reference from someone you know and trust. Picking the right attorney is crucial to getting the results you want.
There is a publication calle Martindale Hubbel that lists attorneys and rates them by peer review. Only some attorneys are ranked. The rest do not have enough experience to even get rated. The ranked attorneys get either an A,B or C rating- Highest, very high and high with a V rating if they are considered ethical by their peers. I would certainly not rely on who has the best commercial on TV or the best looking phone book ad. The above publication also lists areas of practice. You can pay to get access to it or go to a local law school and look at their copy.