Picking the right lawyer

Let’s imagine you’ve been served with divorce papers. Or you just bonded out of jail. Or maybe you’ve decided to sue your contractor. Now what?

I’m Lawyer Alexandria Serra, this is Lawyer Talk Thursday (catch it every week on Instagram @alexandriaserra), and this week I'm giving you the top tips on how to pick the right lawyer for the right situation.

When you get into legal trouble, you have a few options:

1. Go at it alone.
2. Hire a professional.
3. Use something like legal zoom.

Here’s the top three tips for handling your case!

1. Use a specialist.

• • If you decide to use a professional, your first step is to identify the type of lawyer you need and search for a specialist. Not all lawyers are created equal.
  • Just like with doctors, you don’t want a dermatologist doing your open-heart surgery. We spend hundreds of hours on our practice area for a reason – to serve our clients better.

2. Go at it alone only when you have the time and knowledge to do it yourself.

• • There are plenty of simple things you can do yourself. But unless you’re willing to take time to learn, go to court, plead your case or negotiate with the other party, don’t do it yourself
  • Do you know how to answer a countersuit? How about selecting a jury? What happens if you blow a deadline? What are the deadlines? Document templates won’t comfort you when you’re representing yourself in court.

3. Don’t get suckered into scams.

• • Seen those signs around town for a $99 divorce? Well, buyer beware.
  • You’re either a lawyer or you’re not. Lawyers take classes every year. We’ve spent 7 years in higher education and have a law license. All that work just so we can give legal advice. Now, your jailhouse lawyers, tia, and bff aren’t qualified to do that. Neither is a paralegal.
  • Someone who isn’t a lawyer can’t give legal advice or offer opinions about the law or your case. They also can’t charge for legal services. That’s illegal.

Bottom line: pick an attorney that meshes with your vibe, set clear expectations up front, and don’t be afraid to tell them what you want. If they’re good, they’ll tell you if your goals are realistic.