HOW TO FIND AN ATTORNEY

One of the most frequently asked questions that we come across is where can I find an
attorney, can you find me an attorney, where do I look to get a “good” attorney.  There are a
lot of different factors to consider when looking for an attorney, the first one being costs!

Different attorneys require different “retainers”, some of which are exceptionally costly.  You
have several different options here, but remember the most important component when finding
an attorney is whether or not you feel comfortable with them; whether you believe they have a
good, clear understanding of your case and whether you believe that their thoughts and
values closely match your own. Most attorneys will either offer a complimentary phone call or
meeting at no cost to you. Use this time to evaluate the attorney’s style, don’t enter their office,
pour your heart out and expect them to say, “I’ll take your case”.

Ask good questions, mention the basics of your case, see the interest level, and
evaluate the attorney. Did the attorney take notes? How many cases of your type has this
attorney handled? These are important things to consider, when trying to determine who will
be representing your point of view in your divorce proceedings. Depending on the nature of
your case, you may wish to go pro se or represent yourself. This does not mean that you can’t
get an attorney at a later point in time.

You can also utilize the “Attorney of the Day” that most of the court systems have available.
You can either go into their offices in the court (although we hear the lines are extremely long)
or call them. They can usually answer questions on the spot and this might be a good
temporary fix to a specific problem.  

There is also the American Bar Association, of which both Massachusetts and New Hampshire
(e-mail address is: www.nhbar.org, 603-229-0002; www.massbar.org, 866-627-7577) have a
chapter. Each Bar Association offers a referral attorney, for a nominal fee. Usually what they
do is get the specifics over the phone of the type of case you are involved with and then they
will call one of the lawyers in their database and have them call you.  If you decide, after
talking with this attorney, that you would like to meet, there is a small fee (usually $ 25.00) for
the initial consultation with this attorney.  There are a number of Legal Clinics in both New
Hampshire and Massachusetts, where for a reduced fee, you can get legal advice.

Word of mouth usually works well too. The divorce rate is at 50%, which means that there is
probably someone you know, or knows someone who is going through this process. You can
always call their attorney and usually if an attorney can’t take your case, they will make a
referral.  It’s a critical step in the entire process, if you choose to use an attorney and one you
should make very
carefully.
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