Finding the information you want and need about the legal field can be daunting. This resource page will hopefully help you navigate through the maze of sites and information available on the internet. It includes sites both general to the legal field, and specific to the attorney conduct field. It's not all inclusive (obviously), but what we think are valuable sites. We're always interested in seeing good sites that you've come across, so if you spot something you think might be valuable, drop us a line.

A lot of people are looking to the internet to find a lawyer, so here are our....

Thoughts About Finding a Lawyer:

The internet is a great tool, but it may not have made finding a lawyer easier. In fact, it may be tougher than ever to weed out the good from the bad. There are a myriad of directories and referral services available, but most of them can’t be relied on for truly independent referrals. Most of these directories get their money from lawyers who pay to be listed, and some are paid for every client referred. There is virtually no independent review of the attorney’s background or ability. Whoever pays gets listed. Just because a lawyer or law firm appears high on a search engine inquiry doesn’t mean they are good. Lawyers who appear in “top spots” on some of the search engines may have paid to get there, and others have simply hired internet gurus who have figured out how to place their clients at or near the top.

If you are in need of an attorney, and don’t have a good referral source, in our opinion, the best overall sites to find a lawyer are www.findlaw.com, www.lawyers.com, and www.martindale.com. These are the largest, most complete, and most well known. While they also derive some of their revenue from attorneys who pay to be listed, we like them because they are able to provide the most names of lawyers local to your city who practice in the specific area of law you might be looking for. Martindale-Hubbell, which sponsors the www.martindale.com site, is a company that independently evaluates attorneys. The evaluations, done confidentially by lawyers and judges is based on both legal ability and ethics. The highest rating Martindale gives is an “av” rating and is one of the best assessments of an attorney’s overall credentials.

We don't necessarily prescribe to the belief that personal referrals are the “only” or “best” way to find a lawyer. A great deal depends on who the referral is from. Actually, most of our clients hired their malpracticing lawyers based on someone’s referral or recommendation. Rely on referrals if they are from a reputable or knowledgeable source. Sometimes lawyers pay for referrals and, while a referral fee is not necessarily grounds for disqualifying someone, it does mean paying a little closer attention.

We are strong believers in interviewing attorneys. If you have an important case (and isn't your case important to you?), then make the effort to interview at least two, maybe three attorneys. Most attorneys won’t charge for an initial consultation, but do it even if you have to pay for their initial time; it's worth the extra money. The personal relationship between an attorney and client can be as important as the competence of the lawyer and the fees charged. Interviewing will also give you the benefit of several perspectives on your case.

Don't necessarily be swayed by or attracted to lawyers who act like pit bulls in suits. Overly aggressive and unreasonable lawyers may not be in your best interest. Very often, a "take no prisoners" or "scorched earth" approach to litigation will mean a similar response from the other side, all of which will translate into higher legal fees for you, and possibly even a lost case. Also, don’t be overly impressed by attorneys who are immediately confident, even boastful about the success they can achieve on your case. Good, experienced lawyers know that handling a case from beginning to end can be a difficult and tricky process. In law, as in life, there are very few guaranteed things.