Irrespective of how lucky or careful you may be, chances are that eventually you will find yourself with a legal problem. Deciding whether the specific situation requires a need for an attorney search however is never easy. Many problems fall someplace between a minor dispute that may be settled in small claims court or perhaps a criminal charge that calls for a skillful lawyer. In the event that you are in doubt, consult a lawyer, especially if the problem is complex where consequences are far reaching and you need an attorney.

Generally you'll need an attorney in case you are about to sign a contract you don not understand or agree with. You will need an attorney in the event that you are served with a summons or any other legal document, or maybe if you as well as your boyfriend are looking at a prenuptial agreement. Another situation is if you want to adopt a child, your child gets into trouble with the law, or you and also your spouse is seeking separation, divorce, or annulment. Another situation for a lawyer is if your ex wants to modify or terminate support or upkeep payments, or alter your custody arrangement. Buying a home requires an attorney or every other real estate, starting your own business,buying a franchise and if you are threatened with an eviction or foreclosure requires an attorney.

If you find yourself with a legal problem began by asking friends and family members if they can suggest someone. With every lawyer that is recommended, you should still do some comparison shopping for costs and expertise and compatibility. Some places to start looking is in the yellow pages within your smart phone book. The web is yet another excellent place to find lawyers. Your accountant, coverage salesmen, Banker or any other professionals whose judgment you respect may recommend an attorney. Another place to look-at as well as to consider will be the government offices and agencies that handle the topic of your legal problem. The alumni office of law school is great place to find lawyers. The Bar Association shall have the names of lawyers also.

The first question to ask your lawyer is are you charged for an initial consultation. Next ask the lawyer how long he or she has been in business. You may also want to consider asking the lawyer are his clients primarily individuals or companies. Additionally you need to ask the lawyer will she or he be able to work on your case immediately. Also ask what are the strength and weaknesses of your case. The Lawyer should also be able to give you copies of all relevant documents and correspondences for your case. You may also ask the lawyer for a written estimate of all costs before she or he begins to work on your case. You can also find out if he or she will think about a contingency fee basis. They are just a couple of ideas for questions that you should be asking when you need an attorney.

If shopping to find lawyers online or even the more traditional way, it's important to think about these resources to get the right information and the right lawyer.

Referrals are the traditional but still the number one resource to search out lawyers wherever they could be. These resources can be in the form of family members, friends, other lawyers and some co-workers or acquaintances who also needed the services of a lawyer. Ask the resources for recommendations.

In the past, it was not allowed to post an ad about lawyer services, but no longer. There are now various lawyers who post their services and contact numbers so folks that go over magazines, newspapers and other printed media may take note of the numbers and give them a call. There must also be a list within the smart phone book listing the lawyer services in line with their specialties. This should help narrow down the list to go over.

The internet is a beautiful resource technology and nobody really ignores it. A simple entry on the browser to look for a certain lawyer or specialized lawyers should result to numerous results. There must also be an online directory of the very best lawyers and legal firms in the county, state and national level.

This fourth one is a fairly new concept. It is called a matching service for lawyers and clients. This is a service that will match to the searching client potential lawyers who may be the most effective to take care of the specific case. On the flip side, this might not be the best way to keep the confidential information from the world-wide public.

The American Bar Association has its own website and it can offer recommendations on the specific lawyer chosen. This site can give a criminal background check on the lawyer like disciplinary actions taken against the lawyer or maybe if the lawyer chosen is definitely an actual lawyer, not just a bogus one. There are several incidents of fake lawyers handling cases and lots of have also been victimized. Before signing up with the lawyer services, check out their educational background, their bar exam results if need be, even their license to practice. This website will likely help the clients if they need to report any problems that will arise while dealing with that particular lawyer or group of lawyers.