Did you know that the employment of lawyers is projected to grow by 9% by 2030? If it wasn’t hard enough to find a lawyer to hire, more options continue to come about making the decision even more difficult.

Luckily, this guide exists to help you find the best lawyer in your local area despite the high employment rate in the industry.

What do you need to know? Keep reading to find out.

Consider the Area of Law

To find the best lawyer, you’ll want one that specializes in the area of law that correlates to your case. Law is a large field of study so a lot of attorneys find a niche that could be any of the following:

• Real estate
• Family
• Immigration
• Employment
• Accident/injury
• Criminal

If your situation is specific, you’ll need more than a general lawyer. For example, you can work with a personal injury attorney after an accident. You can even get more specific and hire a trucking accident attorney right here.

Learn About Their Reputation

A local attorney should have a positive reputation. When you hire someone to perform a service for you, you need to know that they know their stuff.

You can ask for referrals to get opinions from people that they have worked with in the past. Check online reviews for the best law firm if you don’t want to call past clients.

You can also ask for personal recommendations and connections from family and friends who have experienced the same type of situation.

Ask About Costs and Billing

Because there are different types of lawyers, the cost and billing processes might vary.

Cost is always a factor when choosing an attorney. Although you don’t want someone cheap who won’t fight for you, you’ll need someone you can afford to pay.

Ask a lawyer for a quote during the consultation process. You’re better off getting quotes from multiple people to decide which fits best with your budget.

Lawyers bill in any of the following methods:

• Hourly
• Flat rate
• Contingency
• Negotiable

If you don’t have the cash up front, finding a lawyer that uses a contingency billing method will be your best bet.

Discuss Communication

The best lawyer is going to communicate with you when you need them most.

Discuss if a lawyer is available to take on your case. If an attorney appears to be overworked, look for someone else who can attend to your needs.

Communication and availability go hand in hand. A lawyer is a busy person that might fall out of touch with you.

Decide on a preferred method of communication and discuss hours so you’ll be on the same page. Agree on regular check-in times to discuss the case and have all of your questions answered.

Find the Best Lawyer for Your Needs

To find the best lawyer for your needs, you’ll need to complete a lot of research.

First, consider the area of law that your case is involved in. Learn about their reputation via online reviews and people you know.

Once you find a few people you could see hiring, ask about their costs and billing and discuss communication methods.

With this guide, you’ll find the right lawyer for you. Come back for more legal articles like this on our blog.