The 5 Methods You Need to Hire the Right Attorney

It is not uncommon for most people to have to hire an attorney at some point in their lives. Whether you need an attorney for a divorce, medical malpractice, estate planning, personal injury, a semi-truck wreck, or something else, it is vital you choose the right attorney for your case.

But most of us have no idea what to look for in an attorney. Not everyone is familiar with the best characteristics in a lawyer. And when making such an important decision, it is best to go into it knowing what you need from an attorney to be sure you get justice.

Below are the five methods you should use to hire the right attorney for your case.

1. Look for board-certification.

Finding an attorney that is board-certified means they are a certified specialist in their area of law.

The American Bar Association (ABA) is the largest voluntary association of legal professionals and attorneys globally. One of their goals is to move the profession forward through legal education and the promotion of competence, professionalism, and ethical conduct. The ABA can mandate attorney competence by recognizing those that show expertise in a specific area of law through board certification.

Attorneys that have been board-certified by the ABA have proven that they meet higher standards of education, knowledge, and expertise in their area of law. A board-certified attorney is considered a true specialist. These attorneys concentrate a large portion of their practice on that specific type of law, pass an exam in that area, and are involved in continuing education for their specialization. They will have the skills necessary to see your case through.

2. Research their credibility.

While board-certification guarantees that an attorney is a specialist in their area of law, there are many awards and peer-reviewed rankings that can ensure their credibility in that area, as well.

Peer-reviewed ranking organizations are one avenue for researching attorneys. If a lawyer has been recognized by a peer-reviewed ranking organization, it means that other attorneys and/or judges have been asked about that attorney through reviews. There are several ranking services that can be helpful when researching lawyers:

• Martindale-Hubbell: This network began in 1868 and connects attorneys to potential clients. Attorneys that have been ranked by Martindale-Hubbell have been reviewed by both clients and other lawyers.
• Super Lawyers: This directory requires attorneys to be recognized by peers in the legal field in order to earn their ranking.
• S. News & World Report—Law Firm Directory; Best Lawyers; Forbes: Each of these directories require peer-reviewed rankings. Attorneys cannot pay to be featured in them.
• Avvo: This organization uses an algorithm that ranks attorneys on a scale of 1 to 10 and provides real reviews from various clients.
• The National Trial Lawyers: This is an invitation-only organization of trial attorneys. To be selected, a lawyer must have strong leadership qualities, reputation, influence, and more, as well as peer reviews and research.
• Lawdragon: This organization annually publishes the guide “500 Leading Lawyers in America”.

Beyond peer-reviewed ranking, it can be helpful to also investigate attorneys with awards that are applicable to the area of law you need to hire a lawyer for. Reading through online reviews can also be helpful.

3. Check if they teach, write, or lecture on their specialization.

Attorneys that have skills and knowledge in their area of law will typically write, lecture, or teach on their specialization.

Research lawyers that have written books, chapters in books, articles, or blogs in their area of law. See what scholarly writings or articles they have written on their subject. Look into what conferences they speak at and what they lecture about. If they host or guest star on podcasts, listen to those and see if the subject matter is relevant to their specialization.

4. Make sure they’re willing to take cases to trial.

If the defendant in your case won’t settle or wants to settle, but you know you could get a better outcome by taking the case to trial, then you need an attorney that is willing to pursue that route.

In cases where there are complex legal difficulties or high stakes financial factors, the case may need to go to court. And your attorney needs to have the skills required to persuade a jury or judge with arguments and facts. This is especially important in personal injury, semi-truck wreck, criminal defense, and corporate conflict cases.

To ensure you get the justice you deserve, your lawyer should have the resources and knowledge necessary to take your case to trial and have a positive result.

5. Ask to meet with and interview the attorney and their team.

Once you have used the previously mentioned methods to narrow down your search, you should schedule interviews with your top choices for an attorney.

When dealing with complex legal matters, it is likely you will be spending a lot of time with your attorney and/or their legal team. It is important to meet with the lawyer and anyone else that may be working on your case to see if your personalities mesh well with yours and that they seem knowledgeable about how to handle your situation.

Here are some questions to consider asking:

• Have you ever handled a case that is similar to mine? If yes, please describe it.
• How many attorneys will be working on my case, and how involved will you be?
• When was the last time you took a case to trial, and what was the result?
• What are the costs associated with hiring you?
• How often will we meet to discuss my case?
• What percentage of your workload is focused on the same area of law as my case?

Want to Know More? Check Out These Resources

Everything in this article — and even more — is discussed at length by attorney David W. Craig in his book It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, available on Amazon.

To hear from David himself, check out David’s most recent episode of After the Crash. Dozens of other episodes are available to listeners for free on YouTube and streaming platforms.

Learn more by following Craig, Kelley & Faultless on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are nationally recognized and have helped clients across the country recover from life-altering wrecks. They are prepared to fight insurance companies and motor carriers on your behalf.

For a free case consultation, contact the team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless today by calling (800) 746-0226 or submitting an online form.

David W. Craig is a nationally recognized truck accident lawyer who sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association. He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. He was the recipient of the National Thurgood Marshall “Fighting for Justice” Award for his work helping victims of truck wrecks. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.