International Law

How to find a good lawyer

By Raj Sharma

Lawyers are usually consulted for mundane reasons, like the purchase of a home or the drafting of a will. Lawyers are great resources for anyone in business. Obviously, an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system is a serious occasion for legal consultation.

How does someone go about finding a lawyer to help them with their particular situation? I'm not sure if looking up a lawyer in the Yellow Pages is the best way (although we -- and many other lawyers -- advertise there). Perhaps the Yellow Pages can be a starting point.

I don't think lawyers should be hired just because they are of the same ethnicity (although if there is an english issue, a multi-lingual lawyer can be a good thing).

Hiring a lawyer should be an informational based decision.

Research on the internet, from google searches or reading a lawyer's blog is a great way to determine whether a particular lawyer has the right background (education, publications) to tackle the specific problem. It may be possible to find out the number of a lawyer's reported decisions at a particular court level.

Personal referrals are also a great way to find a lawyer. Testimonials are good, but present a one-sided view.

Some individuals prefer dealing with a firm. If a lawyer practices in a partnership, this gives some assurance that a client's matter will be dealt with regardless of the particular lawyer's availability.

An initial consultation with a lawyer can provide appropriate information. Questions should be asked about the lawyer's experience in the particular field and whether they have any particular expertise that is relevant.

I don't know if there are any more 'generalists' in the legal community. If I had a real estate issue, I would go to a real estate lawyer. If I had an immigration problem next, I wouldn't take it to the real estate lawyer (but maybe I would ask him/her if they had a recommendation). If I had a criminal issue, I wouldn't take it to a big corporate firm downtown; I would take it to a criminal lawyer that has represented clients before every level of court and someone that has at least 5+ years of experience.

The decision to hire a lawyer is an important one, with far-reaching consequences. Take the time to do some research, ask for referrals, and not be afraid to ask some questions.

Full post as published by Canadian Immigration Blawg on December 29, 2010 (boomark / email).