What You Should Consider When Hiring a Lawyer in New Jersey
When you are hiring a lawyer in New Jersey, there are several factors to consider.
Whether you are looking for representation during a business dispute or help with an injury claim, there are many reasons you might need a reputable lawyer in your area.
Hiring a lawyer is a very important choice you will make in your life and it can have a significant impact on the outcome of your claim and the quality of your life.
This isn’t a process to rush, so take your time to discover some of the most important aspects of hiring a lawyer in the New Jersey area you trust implicitly.
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You Should Consider Their Areas of Expertise
If you have a specific legal query, you want to make sure that your chosen lawyer in New Jersey specializes in your area.
Let’s say you are looking to get into real estate; you will want to find an attorney in New Jersey that can help you with a variety of real estate transactions and issues.
Whether you are purchasing your first property or figuring out a problematic real estate deal, you need a New Jersey lawyer that will pay careful attention to your case.
Understanding their areas of expertise will help you figure out whether they are the right fit for your case.
How Much Experience Do The Prospective Lawyers Have?
You also need to consider how much experience your chosen lawyer has. If you are facing a complicated case, you don’t want a lawyer new to the field.
You need an experienced lawyer in New Jersey, who has a good track record. Look at their credentials and see how long they have been working in the industry for.
There are some fantastic lawyers in New Jersey who haven’t been practicing for long, but you need to choose someone you feel confident in.
Do They Have High Success Rates?
When you are looking for a reputable lawyer in New Jersey, you want to make sure they have a proven track record of success.
Remember that not every lawyer will have a 100% rate of success, but look for one that is as high as possible.
It is all about you and you want to make sure you get the best legal representation as possible. If this lawyer has helped clients in a similar situation to you in the past, it is likely that they will do the same for you.
Check if they have a history of being a strong and loyal advocate for their clients and you should be safe with your final choice.
Check Out Their Previous Client Reviews
One way to check out their track record is to look at previous testimonials from their clients.
Spend some time researching the firm and look for positive and negative reviews on their services so you'll get opinions from different perspectives.
Make sure you read the details on all the review to make sure you have a well-rounded view of the lawyer in New Jersey.
Make Sure They Fit Within Your Individual Budget
Hiring a lawyer in New Jersey is an expense that won’t come lightly to many people. Therefore, you need to consider legal representation that fits within your individual budget.
The cost of changing lawyers halfway through the process is much more damaging, so spend some time making the right decision the first time.
Ask the firm whether there are any additional costs you should know about. Similarly, there might be cases where you need not pay at all.
In many personal injury lawyer cases, they work on a contingency basis, meaning you don't have to pay unless you get a settlement.
Be Sure to Make a Good Connection With Them
Ultimately, you will spend a considerable amount of time with your chosen lawyer in New Jersey.
This means you need to connect with them on a personal level and make sure they understand you and your case.
They need to get to know the emotional and physical impacts to you so they do everything they can to fight your corner.
Are You Happy for Them to Represent You?
Remember that the lawyer you choose in New Jersey will serve as a representative for you.
If there are any reasons you wouldn’t be happy for them to be your spokesperson, you need to make a different choice.
You deserve to have complete control over the lawyer you choose, so don’t allow the firm to dictate which lawyer in New Jersey you get.
After an initial meeting, you should be able to request that specific person rather than another lawyer from the firm.
Do Your Research on a First-Hand Basis
You should be cautious of referral services online because they might not give you an accurate representation of the lawyer in New Jersey.
Work with a real-life lawyer who is genuinely knowledgeable in their field of work. Referral service websites often have no legal background and won’t be of much help to you.
Do your own research and make sure the lawyer in New Jersey has access to all the resources and information they need to support you in your case.
Consider these pointers when you are looking for a lawyer in New Jersey. Only the best of the best will support and protect you in the way you need.
Donnelly Warner can provide you with a variety of legal services, so explore our website and see if we can be of any help to you.
9 Tips to Finding a Business Law Firm in NJ
Choosing a business law firm in NJ to represent you is an important step you as a business owner should take seriously.
There are many factors to consider before choosing a provider of legal services so you get somebody who best fits your businesses needs while still being affordable.
The person or firm you choose extends your business, and you should treat the process of choosing a provider as if you were hiring a new employee.
Here are a few important points to consider:
1. Think About What You Need
The first step is to define what type of legal services you need. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Why do you need an attorney? Are you trying to fundraise for your business? Did you have former employee or client suing you?
- Do you need real estate, medical malpractice, personal injury or another form of legal representation?
- Does your business law provider need to be near your physical location?
- How much are you willing to spend for lawyer services?
2. Do Your Research Online and Read Reviews
Once you have the legal services you need down pat, then it’s time to start your internet research.
You can start with a general search such as “Business Law Firm NJ” and see what results appear. Then to take it a step further, search the specific service you’re looking for, and consider adding in the city you operate out of finding the most accurate local legal service providers.
Build out a list of the ones you think are the best fit, and comb through their websites and even social profiles. Read reviews and look into who is writing these online reviews. Often, many positive ones are written by employees or marketing companies, so take them with a grain of salt. We also suggest checking out the negative reviews and seeing how the firm handles unhappy clients.
3. Ask Your Friends for Referrals
Word of mouth is a powerful tool, particurlar in today's day and age of fake news and falsified online reviews as mentioned above.
Surely you’ve got friends who are business owners themselves, or maybe they even own a New Jersey business law firm of their own.
Tap into your network and see who some of your friends and business partners have used in the past, and if they have somebody they feel comfortable referring you to.
4. Meet with Multiple Providers
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. You shouldn’t fall in love with the first and only business law firm in NJ that you talk to.
Do your due diligence and speak with multiple law firms and attorneys. That way you can weigh the pro’s and con’s of each and make more of an unbiased decision.
5. Determine if You Want a Large or Small Firm
The size of the business law firm you choose in New Jersey can impact the representation you get.
If you choose one that is too large, you might not get enough close attention to make you feel comfortable. On the flip side, if they’re too small, they may not have the tools and experience to represent you successfully.
There are large firms that can give you close attention, and small firms that can handle large cases, but size is still an important factor to consider.
6. Don't be Afraid to Ask the Nitty-Gritty Questions
You’ve got a lot on the line with the legal choice you’re preparing to make, so don’t be afraid to ask difficult questions.
Did you see a scathing Google review they received about a similar case? Ask them about it.
Don’t be afraid to ask about their experience or expertise. You may feel you are prying, but you’re getting ready to make a big decision. No stones should be left unturned, and if they want your business, they will understand.
7. Ask About Their Previous Clientele
Has the law firm worked with a business similar to yours before? How did that business fare with their representation?
You can even ask for names of clients of theirs that you can reach out to and get their opinion of their services from.
They likely will not give you the name of a client who will not speak highly of them, but it’s just another box you can check off on your list as you get closer to a decision.
8. Consider Costs and Expenses
No matter how big of a case you’re facing or who you want to represent you, sometimes it comes down to how much you’re willing and able to spend.
Before the end of each meeting, get a quote from the business law firm, and ask about their payment structure.
Some might require portions of the payment up front, and others will allow payment plans. Others may put in place contingencies based on the successful or unsuccessful representation of your legal case.
It’s important to ask these questions so you know where you stand financially before, during and after your legal case.
9. Make a Decision
Now you’ve done your research and asked all the important questions to consider. It’s time to make an unbiased and informed decision.
Think about what you’ve seen, what you've read and heard. Decide who would be the best fit for your business's legal needs based on their online presence, referrals, expertise, experience and cost.
Certain factors may be more or less important for your business and that’s ok - that’s why we suggest going through these each of these steps, as every business’s needs are different.
Once you decide on a legal representative, you’re one step closer to getting your legal woes behind you and moving forward with your business.
Are you ready to speak with Donnelly & Warner Attorneys at Law about your business law firm needs in NJ? Contact us today to speak with one of our professionals.