It may seem ridiculous but according to those in the know often finding an attorney is harder than finding a husband or wife. An attorney is the one who will ensure that your business stays on the right side of the law, and draft all agreements and contracts so that your interests are protected at all times. If the attorney is to represent you in court you need to have a special relationship with him or her so that they understand you in totality and give you the best representation possible. Remember an attorney is not to be contacted when in trouble but much before he can keep you out of trouble by looking after legal aspects of your work and personal affairs.

So, you must choose an attorney with great care. Ways to locate attorneys are:

1.One way of ensuring you get an attorney of standing is to seek referrals from friends, family members and others in your business. Weigh recommendations carefully because some people may have vested interests. Be sharp.

2.Use a lawyer referral service. The state or bar association will be able to recommend a lawyer referral service to you. Or you could find one from the World Wide Web there are lawyer directories like http://aol.lawyers.com/ .

3.By searching through a public directory like the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory. This directory lists lawyers that practice in the US and 159 other countries. See: http://www.martindale.com/ .

4.You could visit courts in sessions and watch lawyers in action and decide you like x or y and then find out all you can about them.

5.Read about prominent cases in newspapers and magazines to locate a suitable lawyer.

6.Check out local Bar Associations and look through their membership rosters. The American Bar Association has a website with in depth information on law and attorneys.

7.Surf through websites that have information on law as well as lawyers for the state you live in and choose an attorney who has expertise in your area of work.

8.Through advertisements placed by law firms or individual attorneys.

You must be practical and sensible when you need to choose an attorney to handle your affairs. According to experts avoid selecting an attorney from advertisements and self promotional articles in magazines. Attorneys must be chosen from reliable recommendations.

Be sure to check the attorney’s credentials, qualifications, and whether or not he has the membership to the right law associations. Find out his rate, successes, failures, dependability, and whether he handles the cases himself or has a battery of assistants who do his work.

Avoid smooth talkers, those who will not meet your eye while speaking to you, those that dismiss you with a handshake, cup of coffee and a smile. A true attorney is one who will take time to discuss your needs in detail, go over the pros and cons of your case, and give you a clear idea of whether or not you have a chance to win your case.

An attorney will be a partner in your life in many ways. So select with care.