Finding and Choosing a Good Lawyer in Florida

Finding a good lawyer is really a two-step process. First, you need to identify a lawyer or a pool of lawyers who practice the type of law that you need help with.  Second, you need to do research and ensure the lawyer you hire has the ability and reputation to provide you with the best results.

Step 1: Finding a lawyer

Finding a lawyer who has special expertise in your legal matter is important. There are many lawyers to choose from. You need to be sure the lawyer you contact or hire practices in the area that you need help in.  For example, a family law attorney who focuses on divorce for men is probably not going to be able to help you with your traffic ticket or real estate transaction.  For the most part, lawyers practice in a particular area of the law and even within that practice they usually focus on a certain subset of that area of the law.  For example, some criminal defense lawyers focus only on DUI defense and some personal injury lawyers focus only on car accident injuries.

Additionally, once you have a general idea of what kind of lawyer you need, you need a place to start your search.  You can use google to find a lawyer who practices in a particular area or you can call one of the advertising lawyers.  But how do you know if that lawyer is good or not? Here is what I would like to recommend when starting your search for a lawyer:

1. Ask a lawyer you know or have worked with before to refer you to a good lawyer, preferably a Board Certified lawyer.
2. Ask trusted friends and family
3. Search Avvo.com. Choose a lawyer who is rated 10, the highest rating.
4. Call your local bar association

Obviously, if you have worked with a lawyer in the past and you were pleased with his or her work, check with them. If it is outside their practice area, ask for a referral. The legal community is small and lawyers often know which other lawyers are good and qualified. If you do not have a lawyer you can rely on, then I would next recommend that you ask your trusted friends and family for a referral to a lawyer they might have worked with in the past.  If all those methods are not an option, I would then recommend that you either call your local bar association or use a website called Avvo. Avvo is a website that allows you to search for local attorneys by location and practice area. Avvo also provides reviews and ratings of local lawyers.  You can view Attorney Ed Normand’s Avvo profile here.

Step 2: Choosing a lawyer

A lawyer will help you solve important legal problems and therefore you must be able to trust your lawyer.  Before you hire a lawyer, do a little research.  I would suggest that you look for 3 things: expertise, compassion, and results. Expertise is about expert skill or knowledge in a particular field of the law.  You want to make sure that the lawyer has practiced the type of law that you require in the past.  You should ask questions about his or her qualifications and experience. You can also ask whether or not your lawyer is board certified. Board certification recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law, and professionalism and ethics in the legal practice. Board certification is the Florida Bar’s highest level of evaluation of the competency and experience of attorneys in the 26 areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida. According to the Florida Bar, about 7 percent of eligible Florida Bar members are board certified in one area or another.

Compassion is another factor to consider when considering a lawyer. Does the lawyer you are about to hire care about your legal problem? In other words, is he or she listening? Are they asking thoughtful questions? Do they have the heart of a teacher? Have you even talked to your lawyer? Those are important questions to consider before making a decision to hire an attorney.

Finally, ask your lawyer to provide you information about results that the lawyer has achieved. You should know what your lawyer has been able to do in the past so that you can have further assurance that you have found the right attorney for you.

Other considerations that might be worth considering are the convenience of the lawyer’s office location, fees charged, and the length of time a case may take.

Finding the right lawyer is usually worth the work.  Take your time and do your homework. It could make a huge difference in the outcome of your legal issue.

For more information or a free consultation on your legal issue contact Normand PLLC at 407-603-6031.

The material on this web site has been prepared by Normand PLLC (“Normand PLLC”). The material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The material does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Normand PLLC or any of its attorneys or clients, and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date. Transmission of the material on this site is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. This information is not intended to substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney. Each person’s legal needs are unique, and these materials may not be applicable to your legal situation. No person should act or rely on any information in this site without seeking the advice of an attorney.