How to choose? Here are some tips for hiring the best lawyer.

1. Five Important Tips on
Choosing Law Firms

2. One major factor that insurance agencies evaluate
when determining how to move forward with a claim
is who's representing the petitioner. If the insurance
agency doesn't respect who's representing you, they
may vilify your claim and offer less money. It is thus
important to carefully consider your choice of
attorney.

3. How to choose? Many law firms advertise as being
"specialists" for prosecuting "serious injuries," but,
when serious cases arise, they contract with other
law firms to handle them. It is also worth noting that a
flashy website does not indicate that a firm is
qualified to take your case. Here are some tips for
hiring the best lawyer.

4. Referrals From Attorneys &
Professionals
Your divorce attorney (if you have one) may know
someone whose expertise is better suited for your
case. Most referrals accepted by law firms come
from attorneys or other professionals in the field,
such as paralegals and law clerks.

5. Legal & Moral Philosophy
There are lawyers out there who just want to make a
quick buck (or thousands of bucks). Ask the attorney
why he/she handles personal injury (PI) claims
specifically. Their answers may reveal important
characteristics about them, such as integrity, and
legal and moral philosophy. Ask yourself, "Is this the
kind of person I want representing me in court?"

6. Handling Your Claim
Inquire about who is going to handle your claim; is it the
attorney? a paralegal? a clerk? is it going to be
outsourced? Many firms assign most of their work to non-
JD holding paralegals, clerks and associate attorneys
with very little experience. Smaller firms tend to be less
like a factory (e.g., a lead attorney performs the bulk of
work, each document is carefully read) whereas larger
firms tend to operate more like assembly lines (e.g., legal
documents are briefly scanned by an associate then sent
to paralegal for rubber stamping). Both are highly
effective, but conduct a little research before signing your
case over to either type.

7. Credentials
Don't hesitate to ask about someone's credentials,
including experience in trying cases similar to yours.
Ask the attorney if they have any published articles,
such as a legal journal. Ask if they've attended or
spoken at any legal seminars. These are signs of
respect that other attorneys have for the skill and
knowledge of their peer.

8. Ethics
There are reasons why lawyers have a bad name--many of
them deserve it. Lawyers typically know who's ethical and
who's not. Consumers, unfortunately, may not. Contact the
State Bar and check the list for attorneys who've been
subjected to ethical discipline.
Most reputable law firms will offer to take your case on a
"contingency." This means they receive no compensation
unless you do. Offering to prosecute your case on
contingency does not necessarily mean your case is a
guaranteed winner. Contingency is a marketing strategy
used by law firms to attract business. Many attorneys will
work on a contingency basis whether they advertise it or
not, so be sure to discuss payment with your potential
lawyer.

9. Resources:
http://www.thebestcriminaldefense.com/los-angeles-criminal-defense-lawyer/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Important-Tips-on-Choosing-Law-
Firms&id=8734271

10. Thank you for reading!