Important Questions to Ask When Seeking Legal Counsel

EAGAN, Minn., April 29, 2008 - While many people will hire an attorney at some time in their life, the process is unlike most other purchasing decisions. There are more than one million lawyers in the United States, and finding the attorney that's right for you can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. In celebration of Law Day, which marks its 50th year this week, the experts at FindLaw have provided some tips to help consumers through this sometimes overwhelming process.

The first step in finding an attorney in your area is to consult a directory. Online lawyer directories, such as West Legal Directory ( http://directory.findlaw.com ), enable people who are seeking legal help to quickly find an attorney based on location and practice area. Most online legal directories also let you view the attorney or firm's profile, which provides information about an attorney's education, experience and expertise.

Many attorneys will schedule an initial consultation with a potential client at no charge to familiarize themselves with the basic legal issues involved and to answer questions that the potential client might have. Experts recommend visiting three or four lawyers to get a sense of how their qualifications compare.

In addition to gauging how you feel about a particular attorney, there are certain questions that FindLaw experts recommend you ask during these initial visits that will help you determine if an attorney is right for you:

How many years of experience does the attorney have in a practice area?
In addition to the number of years of experience, it is helpful to know what specific types of legal problems the attorney deals with most often and whether typical clients are individuals or businesses.

Will anyone else be working on your case?
Because lawyers have many clients, paralegals and law clerks often help them in the research and preparation of cases. If other staff members will be working on your case, it's appropriate to ask if there will be a separate fee for their services. Additionally, ask attorneys whom they would turn to for advice if there were an issue in the case that they did not know how to handle. If an attorney is too busy to work on your case, ask if he or she is willing to refer you to someone else who can handle your case.

What are the fees?
Lawyers use different methods to charge their fees, but they generally charge by the hour, the amount won or the case. Find out which method the attorney would use for your case, and the approximate amount the attorney would charge you in total from the beginning to the end of the case. You also want to know when you would need to pay the bill and if it would need to be paid in full or if you could set up a payment plan.

Where does the attorney foresee your case going?
While you will want to find out if the attorney thinks that you have a strong case, there are more questions to ask beyond that. Ask the attorney if he or she thinks that the case will settle out of court, if mediation or alternative dispute resolution is among the options, or if it will go to trial. Inquire about the advantages and disadvantages of settling out of court and of going to trial. Finally, find out what kind of experience the attorney has with cases that go to trial and if he or she would be willing to appeal the verdict if you lose at trial.

How can you help out with the case?
You can help keep costs down by participating actively in your case. Ask the attorney if you could help out with the case by gathering documents or in any other manner. In addition, find out how often the attorney will keep in touch with you about the case and if the attorney will send you copies of documents during the case.

Asking the right questions will help you find an attorney who is right for your needs. To find an attorney in your area, visit FindLaw ( http://findlaw.com ), the highest-trafficked legal website and the Internet's largest lawyer directory to businesses and individuals. Local and state bar associations are an additional source of information about attorneys practicing in your jurisdiction.

FindLaw, a business within Thomson Reuters (NYSE and TOC: TRI; LSE: TRIL; NASDAQ: TRIN), is the legal industry's most effective provider of online marketing and client development services. FindLaw provides law firms with websites and other online marketing services that generate new business with qualified prospects and build stronger, more profitable relationships with existing clients. Attorneys can also be prominently listed on our Web portal, FindLaw.com, the world's most-visited legal information site. To schedule an appointment with a FindLaw online marketing consultant, call 1-866-44FINDLAW (1-866-443-4635) or e-mail west.info-findlaw@thomson.com. Visit www.lawyermarketing.com for more information about the importance of law firm marketing.