how to find a specialized attorney

by Prof. Dorthy Fritsch PhD 8 min read

When you begin your search for an attorney, looking at board certification provides a convenient way to find an attorney by specialty.

You can run an attorney search at databases such as Avvo and Martindale Hubbell, which provide information such as practice areas, location, disciplinary records, and lawyer reviews. You might also consult your local or state bar association's attorney directory, which is a list of lawyers in your area.

Full Answer

How do you find an attorney?

Jun 01, 2021 · Another way to find the top attorney practices in your area is through the American Bar Association. If you are looking for an attorney with experience in personal injury, malpractice, or criminal law, this is the resource you want to use. Many times, these specialty bar associations provide help and resources to help lawyers get accredited.

What is Legal Specialization?

Jan 28, 2022 · The next step in finding a specialized lawyer is comparing services and preparing a budget. You will come across various prospective law firms that you should consider for your needs. However, not all have the same track record for serving their consumers.

What is attorney search?

It’s usually a good idea to find a lawyer located in your geographical area. Besides legal knowledge of state and local laws, lawyers also have practical local knowledge. Lawyers in specific cities or towns will also have connections to helpful agencies in that city, which will expedite the process of resolving your issue.

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What are the 4 types of lawyers?

Here's an overview of the most common types of lawyers.Personal Injury Lawyer. ... Estate Planning Lawyer. ... Bankruptcy Lawyer. ... Intellectual Property Lawyer. ... Employment Lawyer. ... Corporate Lawyer. ... Immigration Lawyer. ... Criminal Lawyer.More items...•Sep 29, 2020

How do lawyers pick a specialty?

Often, basing your area of expertise on your preferred place or places to live is the easiest way to choose. If you're set on living in a particular region, study the law firms in that area. Find out what's commonly practiced there and figure out whether there's a market for a new practice in that locale.Feb 11, 2017

Which specialization is best in law?

Most Demanding Law Specialization in India 2020Civil Law- The most respected since specializing in law deals with the handling of injury cases, individual's private property, writing deeds, and wills. ... Tax Law - Specializing in this legislation focuses on income tax, property tax, land tax license.More items...•May 4, 2020

What is the best type of law to specialize in?

1. Complex Litigation. This is an area of law that demands a lot of patience and incredible attention to detail. Complex litigation is one of the more lucrative specializations because they involve high-stakes, corporate lawsuits and a lot of motions filed in court.

How to find a lawyer for a lawsuit?

Here are a few other sources you can turn to for possible candidates in your search for a lawyer: 1 The director of your state or local chamber of commerce may be a good source of business lawyers. 2 The director of a nonprofit group interested in the subject matter that underlies your lawsuit is sure to know lawyers who work in that area. For example, if your dispute involves trying to stop a major new subdivision, it would make sense to consult an environmental group committed to fighting urban sprawl. 3 A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. 4 A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

What is Nolo lawyer directory?

Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

How much does a lawyer charge an hour?

Lawyers, of course, are prime sources of this information, but if you bought all the needed information at their rates -- $150 to $450 an hour -- you'd quickly empty your bank account.

Do lawyers work with you?

Fortunately, many lawyers will work with you to help you acquire a good working knowledge of the legal principles and procedures you need to deal with your problem at least partly on your own. If you are hoping to represent yourself and use a lawyer only for advice, make sure the lawyer is open to that type of set-up.

What is a lawyer referral service?

Lawyer referral services are another source of information. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are required to be approved by the state bar association. Some lawyer referral services carefully screen attorneys and list only those attorneys with particular qualifications and a certain amount of past experience, while other services will list any attorney in good standing with the state bar who maintains liability insurance. Before you choose a lawyer referral service, ask what its qualifications are for including an attorney and how carefully lawyers are screened.

What can a law librarian do?

A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

Why are lawyers important?

Lawyers are also important partners in situations that don’t involve the courtroom, advising clients about their legal rights and obligations for personal or business issues. They are trained to interpret complicated systems of laws and navigate the court system.

What is retainer fee?

Retainer Fee: A retainer fee is an advance payment to an attorney towards the hourly rate in a specific case. Your attorney will place the retainer fee into an account, and deduct money as work on your case progresses. These are usually non-refundable if you choose to terminate the case early.

What is a certified specialist in Arizona?

Lawyers in Arizona designated as certified specialists have been evaluated in a particular practice area for their knowledge, skills, integrity, and professionalism. The Arizona Board of Legal Specialization recognizes attorneys who have submitted to the highest form of evaluation in eight (8) areas of specialization. Each specialty area has additional task requirements that must be met in order for an attorney to become a certified specialist. Continue reading

How many members does the International Association of Privacy Professionals have?

Although it has not yet certified its inaugural class of specialist lawyers, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) has approximately 30,000 members worldwide. Many of those 30,000 members are not not lawyers. The IAPP-membership and its examination-only certifications are the current gold standard of credentialing in the privacy field.

Is Lawyer Legion endorsed by the state bar?

Disclaimer: Lawyer Legion is not endorsed or approved by any state or national board certification program or by any state bar. The logo for each certification program is displayed as a visual indicator to help users identify each certification program.

What is board certification in Florida?

Board Certification is the highest level of evaluation offered by the Florida Bar. For an attorney to become board-certified by the state, he or she must meet minimum requirements. For instance, the attorney must demonstrate substantial involvement in the practice area he or she is seeking to become certified. The Florida Board of Legal Specialization and Education certifies attorneys in twenty-four (24) select areas of the law. In addition, more than 4,800 attorneys in Florida have been designated as board-certified specialists in 26 different specialty areas of the law. Continue reading

Does the Connecticut Superior Court certify attorneys?

Only attorneys who have earned certification from a body approved by the Connecticut Superior Court may advertise themselves as "specialists" in the Nutmeg State.

What is the Board of Attorney Certification in New Jersey?

The Supreme Court of New Jersey authorized the Board on Attorney Certification to administrate the state's program for certifying lawyers. The program sought to protect consumers from misleading advertising claims by creating an objective and reliable standard for specialization. Furthermore, the Board of Attorney Certification is responsible for the operation of the certification program, including financial, policy, and rule-making functions. The program requires attorneys to demonstrate a certain threshold of experience, education, skill, and knowledge in a particular field of the law. Continue reading

What is the Ohio State Bar Association?

The Specialization Program of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) recognizes attorneys dedicated to specialty areas of the law. The certification programs require an extensive and rigorous process. It looks at whether the attorney has a high level of substantial involvement in the specialty area of the law, whether the attorney has to meet certain continuing legal education (CLE) requirements, and whether the attorney has been evaluated by other attorneys who are familiar with the attorney's practice. Continue reading

How to file a securities complaint?

If you need help in finding a lawyer who specializes in resolving securities complaints, you may want to try the following: 1 If you already have a lawyer, consult with him or her about your options and whether you need a lawyer who specializes in securities. 2 You may want to call several bar associations to obtain a varied listing of lawyers in your area. Many lawyers will offer to consult with you initially for free or charge a minimal fee. 3 Broaden your list of potential securities lawyers by consulting directories of attorneys. The Martindale-Hubbell® Law Directory can be found at many libraries or at their website. It lists lawyers by state and jurisdictions. Some state and local bar associations also compile directories and may list attorneys according to specialty.

How to contact the American Bar Association?

Phone: (312) 988-5522. Toll free: (800) 285-2221. Fax: (312) 988-3284. The American Bar Association will not refer you directly to an attorney. They will, however, provide you with the name, address, and phone number of a referral service in your area. This is a free service.

What an Entertainment lawyer can do for you

If you are an entertainer, movie producer, or musician, an entertainment lawyer can assist you with important legal issues, including intellectual property rights. Hiring an entertainment attorney will enable you to negotiate or write your contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and work on publication deals.

Why hire an Entertainment attorney

Entertainment lawyers provide services to the entertainment industry, including film, music, television, theater, publishing, visual arts, and multimedia. They also represent sports stars and other celebrities. Entertainment lawyers negotiate and write contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and practice employment and labor law.

Did you know?

Although entertainment lawyers do assist their clients with legal decisions such as contracts, compensation, real estate purchases, etc., entertainment attorneys also use their skills to help further a client's career.

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How to Find The Right Lawyer

  • Locating a good lawyer who can efficiently help with your particular problem may not be easy. Don't expect to locate a good lawyer by simply looking in the phone book or reading an advertisement. There's not enough information in these sources to help you make a valid judgment.
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Consider A Specialist

  • Most lawyers specialize in certain areas, and even a so-called "general practitioner" may not know that much about the particular area of your concern. For example, of the almost one million lawyers in America today, probably fewer than 50,000 possess sufficient training and experience in small business law to be of real help to an aspiring entrepreneur. It can pay to work with a law…
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Interview The Prospective Lawyers

  • When you get the names of several good prospects, the next step is to talk to each personally. If you outline your needs in advance, many lawyers will be willing to meet to you for a half-hour or so at no charge so that you can size them up and make an informed decision.
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Further Resources

  • For more tips on choosing and working with a lawyer, see the eBook The Lawsuit Survival Guide: A Client's Companion to Litigation, by Joseph Matthews (Nolo). Before you meet with a lawyer, you might want to learn some common (and perhaps even not-so-common) legal terms. Get Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary, available as a free iPhone app(also compatible with iPod touch).
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