Finding a good lawyer who is competent to handle a particular legal matter can be challenging. We have prepared this list to help those in need of legal services find lawyers:

Identify Several Lawyers to for Further Review

1. Search Google using particular key words related to your case and the location where you need a lawyer. For example, if you need to find a lawyer who helps with IRS tax issues, you might search for “IRS tax attorney” and “Denver, Colorado.” This will bring up links like Law Office of IRS Tax Attorney Kreig Mitchell: Denver, Colorado.

2. If you have family, friends, or acquaintances that have had similar issues you might ask them if they know of any reputable lawyers who they would recommend (assuming that you are willing to disclose your need for an attorney with particular skills).

3. You can search some of the online directories to find lawyers who handle specific types of cases. For example, you can search the free lawyer directory on LawFiles.net.

Narrowing the List

4. You should also Google the lawyer’s name and law firm name to see if you can find any complains about the lawyer or law firm. You might be surprised to find that the number of websites displaying complaints about lawyers is on the rise.

5. You should also review the lawyer or law firm’s website to see if they practice in your particular area. Unfortunately most lawyers and law firms have the mindset that “law is law” and “I can do that,” when the reality is that they have never handled a case that is remotely related to yours.

When you reviewing legal websites pay particular attention to the “practice areas” of the firm and of the lawyer. If the firm and/or lawyer lists several unrelated practice areas,” you should keep looking. For example, a tax attorney may list “tax planning,” “tax litigation,” “IRS negotiations,” “business planning,” “tax litigation,” and maybe even “bankruptcy.” Notice how these practice areas are all finance and tax related. A tax attorney would not list “general civil litigation,” “medical malpractice,” “real estate construction litigation,” “DWI/DUI”, etc.

Also, when reviewing the profiles for individual lawyers on their law firm website you should look for evidence that the lawyer has remained active and current in the particular legal area associated with your case. This evidence will consist of law courses that the lawyer has taught, continuing education classes the lawyer has presented (not merely attended), publications that the lawyer has authored, advanced legal degrees (such as a LLM in the particular area), legal cases that the lawyer has litigated (in the case of litigation attorneys), and/or an active legal blog that is constantly updated with information related to your case.

Do not be fooled by a list of “associations” that the lawyer is a member of. Almost all of these “associations” have no or next to no membership or participation requirements. In many cases lawyers can simply pay an annual fee in exchange for calling themselves “members.”

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