JeffSFO From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 820 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 825 times:
Fred,
I don't suppose you have any lawyers as friends, do you? I know bunches of them and they're all very professional, so they'd be the first ones I'd ask if I needed to select a lawyer. What kind of lawyer do you have in mind: general practice, criminal, financial, etc.?
Check your local State Bar Association for some advice as well. They may have details about any misconduct a prospective lawyer would have been cited for.
There are also numerous legal advocacy and advice sites available online.
Hope this helps.
-Jeff
Canon 5D Mark II, 5D + EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS + EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II + Tamron AF28-75mm f/2.8
ConcordeBoy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 820 times:
Quoting JeffSFO (Reply 1): What kind of lawyer do you have in mind: general practice, criminal, financial, etc.?
Running through my mental-logbook of past transgressions... I'd say probably one of each
Quoting JeffSFO (Reply 1):
Check your local State Bar Association for some advice as well. They may have details about any misconduct a prospective lawyer would have been cited for.
There are also numerous legal advocacy and advice sites available online.
Nice!
...why, spank you so much Sexy Jeff-- this is exactly the kinda stuff I was looking for
BaylorAirBear From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 2913 posts, RR: 52 Reply 3, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 805 times:
Noting the first picture: never choose a lawyer with a mustache. My explanation is too intense for most minds on A.net, so I will skip it.
BaylorAirBear
...I hope that is the kind of stuff you were looking for.
MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13369 posts, RR: 64 Reply 4, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 784 times:
Mostly by recommendation of people I know, e.g. friends who had used him / her on a similar case. I'm mainly interested in qualifications and experience, as well as how he handles himself in court (though the German justice system with a panel of trained judges opposed to a jury doesn't require as much theatralics, German court sessions are rather dry and boring).
Costs are of secondary interest, since the price range for services provided by a lawyer is fixed and regulated.
DL021 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 11435 posts, RR: 81 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 775 times:
Freddie....look not only at the Bar Association rankings, but also ask people whom you respect for referrals. Lawyers, good ones, live that way.
I have found that usually we all know a lawyer, and they can often be the best source for a referral. Ask them who has the best reputation in town for whichever type lawyer you need, then go look.
Finding a good lawyer takes willingness to sit through lunches and first consultations (usually paid for by the lawyer) and then checking references provided by the lawyer.
A good criminal guy will always have a public track record to look at, and the best tax guys are usually very busy, but not hard to find. A GP lawyer (wills, small lawsuits, etc) is not difficult to find, and I have usually found, in the past, that a person you like who is also competent will do the trick.
TUNisia From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 1834 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 727 times:
Lawyers = Liars (well, most of them)
Someday the sun will shine down on me in some faraway place - Mahalia Jackson
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 13, posted (7 years 10 months 3 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 701 times:
I've got several friends who are lawyers and all good guys or they would not be my friends. To a man they all hate LAW and LAWYERS. One of them is to be my houseguest next month and I am really looking forward to it - the man is brilliant and the conversation is so thought-provoking with him here.
I've had to hire a lawyer on a couple of occasions but not so often that I keep one on speed dial. One practical consideration was this; they had to hear who the plaintiff/defendant were to be sure their firm had no conflict of interest before they could take my case. So if you have your heart set on one particular lawyer you may be disappointed. In fact, contractors and other entities who expect to be sued often may spread their legal work all around the community sowing conflict of interest problems. Result is that if you need to sue one of them you may not be able to find an attorney in your home town who has not, in the past, represented them!
Gotta love 'em!!!
Other experiences I've had: Had to extensively rewrite a letter they drafted for me. I found that my command of the language was better than theirs - but I was paying them more than I earn. In another case I found the legal precedents they needed to argue my case. Yet I paid them for the research time.
After a couple of experiences I came away liking the other guy's lawyer better than my own. You lawyers out there - is that common?
Last bit of advice: Try to think over your case objectively, try to remove all your emotions from it. Then try to think of another case you might have heard of that was similar and find out what the dispositon was. Lots of people waste good money pursuing a completely pointless case. Hell, watch Judge Judy for that!
May you never need to put this to work.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
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