Robert Bovarnick 10.08.08
Legal fees are a cost of doing business. While the Web has made it easy to do some of the very mundane work on your own (say, filing for incorporation or ginning up a bare-bones operating contract), do-it-yourself lawyering has huge limitations.
The trick is finding and hiring the best, most trustworthy professional help for the buck. I’m going to help you.
First, start with your inner circle: friends, neighbors and colleagues. This initial search may not turn up any attorneys with the specific expertise you need, but don’t despair. While your sister’s divorce lawyer may not be much help when it comes to selling your business, he may know a few attorneys perfect for the job. Lawyers know other lawyers–use them for recommendations.
Don’t want people to know you need legal help? You can hunt on the sly by contacting local bar associations. They have lists of attorneys. Beware, though: The bar association hasn’t blessed those attorneys, beyond perhaps assuring they are licensed to practice and have not been disbarred. Further due diligence is still required.
Next step: Hit the Web. To be fair, there are still a few accurate rating systems for lawyers. One useful online resource is martindale.com, which rates lawyers on a scale of A, B and C. Those ratings are done by other lawyers and are fairly reliable. Martindale also offers additional information on attorneys, but be aware that the attorneys themselves prepare those write-ups. Lawyers.com and findlaw.com can help too, but understand that attorneys pay to be listed there.
Once you assemble a short list, remember that size matters. Law firms range in size from one lawyer to over 3,000. If you are Gordon Gekko and want to do a hostile takeover of Bluestar, think big firm. If you are looking for someone to negotiate a lease…
