Consult a Lawyer

Local Lawyer List

For many people, the need for a local lawyer is clear, as they may be faced with bankruptcy, divorce, DUI, forclosure, or have been the victim of or caused personal injury to another person.

Others may need a local business attorney, to help them incorporate a business or understand state and federal tax law.

Still others may need a local family lawyer, to help with estate planning, create a will, or set up a trust fund.

Local Lawyer List is a free website containing general legal information gathered  from state and federal sources, categorized to make legal research easier.

Local Lawyer List also contains links to local attorneys, many of whom offer free consultations to new clients.

To use Local Lawyer List, choose from a state to the left, then click on your topic of interest.

Hiring a Local Attorney

Attorneys, like doctors, all have an area or areas of law that they specialize in. Even though a lawyer must pass the bar exam for the state they wish to practice law in, most lawyers specialize in certain types of law.  Some may focus on divorce law, others on personal injury law, and still other attorneys may focus on business or corporate law.

Seeking the services of a local lawyer should be handled as if you were an employer interviewing  potential employees. Since you are paying the bill, this is an accurate picture of an attorney - client relationship.

  1. The interviewee (lawyer you're considering for hire) should be qualified for the position. Do they have expertise in the area of law that you need? If so, how long has the attorney been practicing this type of law?
  2. Does the attorney have references from other clients they have represented in similar matters?
  3. Do the lawyers seem confident when they answer your interview questions?
  4. Do you feel comfortable with the lawyer you are interviewing? How's their body language and how do they make you feel?  You will have a working relationship with this attorney, so you should feel comfortable in their presence and when communicating with them.
  5. What kind of salary are they looking for and for what items do they bill besides in person services? Phone time, e-mail, IM's, drafts, miscellaneous  correspondence?  You may have found the perfect fit for an attorney, but if their services are not within your budget, you may have to consider another candidate.
  6. Are they the only lawyer at their practice or do they work for a law firm?  While a self employed attorney may be more affordable, an attorney who works for a law firm has other legal resources and expertise to draw upon, which may be helpful depending on your legal needs.

Attorney Client Privilege

Is What You Tell Your Lawyer Always Privileged Information?

Attorney client privilege is the secular equivalent to the confidentiality privilege a person would enjoy during confession with their priest. The purpose of the attorney client privilege is to allow a client to be completely confident with their attorney without fear of disclosure. The attorney client privilege is held or owned by the client and the lawyer that is representing them. Even if you are not "officially" a client of said lawyer, but are in the interview stage, information that you share under the premise of seeking legal counsel with said attorney or attorneys is considered confidential and privileged. The information you share with an attorney is generally considered confidential even after your death, as was ruled upon by the Supreme Court.

The general guidelines for attorney client privilege are as follows:

  1. The person asserting the attorney client privilege is indeed the initiating client.
  2. The information shared with a lawyer or lawyers may be written or oral.
  3. The lawyer this information is shared with is a current member of the state bar (or a person acting as a representative of said attorney
  4. The information shared with the attorney is a fact related to the case as shared by his or her client without the presence of strangers. Additionally, to qualify for attorney client privilege, the information has to be shared in while seeking legal advice, during for-hire legal services, or as part of some legal proceeding.
  5. A claim for attorney client privilege had been made by the initiating client
  6. The right of privilege has not been waived by the initiating client.

Attorney client privilege does not include the hiding of physical evidence from a clients crime.

There are other circumstances that may influence attorney client privilege, including accidental disclosure of information to opposing counsel, malpractice lawsuits against the clients (former) lawyer, a court order or client definition as it relates to a corporation.

Some states further identify or set guidelines for attorney client privilege that augment federal guidelines. 

If you find yourself in a position that requires the disclosure of sensitive information with your lawyer, and you have doubts as to your protection under attorney client privilege, always ask the lawyer you are speaking with if the information you are about to share is protected.

While researching bankruptcy income guidelines is a good way to gain an understanding of the income levels for filing bankruptcy, it is not a substitution for legal counsel, as state regulations may augment federal guidelines.

Local Lawyer List encourages anyone considering bankruptcy or any legal matter to consult with a lawyer licensed to practice in their state of and experienced to assist in the matter at hand.

Since most attorneys offer free consultations, Local Lawyer List strongly recommends that anyone contemplating bankruptcy consult with several bankruptcy attorneys before hiring one to represent them.