HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT LAWYER
Summary: Finding the right lawyer is not always easy. Nor is
there a particular formula for knowing who the right lawyer is.
But here are five factors that you will find helpful n selecting the
right attorney to protect your interests.
1. THE COMFORT FACTOR: The first and sometimes the
most important factor in finding the right lawyer is to make
sure you are comfortable with him or her. There’s no formula for comfort; it’s
just a matter of whether you like the person, whether you think he or she
understands your concerns, and whether you have confidence in that person.
2. EXPERIENCE: Make sure the lawyer you want to hire not only has
sufficient experience practicing law, but also has the right kind of experience.
By way of illustration, just because a lawyer has, say, 30 years of practice
under his belt doesn’t mean it’s the right kind of practice. You wouldn’t pick
an attorney who has done nothing but personal injury work, for instance, to
handle your employment discrimination case, and you wouldn't choose a
corporate lawyer to probate a will, no matter how good he or she is.
3. COMPREHENSION: Law is a language unto itself. A good lawyer must
understand complex legal principles, but that doesn’t mean the lawyer should
dazzle you with his or her knowledge. Does the lawyer explain to you what
you need to know? Or does he or she speak too fast and too technically?
