Here is the second installment in my series of posts on William A. Eddy‘s tips in helping hire the right attorney. Today, where can you look to help locate an attorney for your case?
Mr. Eddy gives the following list of people who may be able to help you find useful information:
- Mental Health Professionals
I suggest that you contact a mental health professional who frequently works on legal cases who will be able to refer you to a good attorney. For example, there may be a psychologist, clinical social worker, or family counselor in your county who regularly testifies at court or does assessments for the court.
You could call your local mental health organizations or referral lists for such a person, or call a local psychiatric hospital or counseling clinic. Explain your case and ask for referrals to three attorneys you could interview. You are more likely to find an attorney you can work with this way than to make cold calls through the phone booklet. - Family and Friends
These may be the next best source, as someone may have had a good experience with an attorney who can give you a referral to an attorney who regularly deals with the issues in your case. Ask around, then interview the attorney yourself. - Referral Services
If necessary, call the lawyer referral service for your area. Most County Bar Associations have one. They usually give out three names and encourage you to call and interview the attorneys yourself. - Court Observations
If you have time, go to the court where your case will be heard and observe attorneys interacting with each other and arguing their cases. If you like the way one handles their case, go up to him or her afterward and ask for a business card.
However, be careful not to assume that the most aggressive in court will be the most beneficial for your case. Some attorneys appear very aggressive, but do not have a good reputation and may be presenting information that is misleading or wrong.
Just as you want to adopt an assertive approach, seek an attorney who appears knowledgeable and respected by the court for being assertive rather than dramatically aggressive. You will have a judge, not a jury, so dramatics often fall flat in family court. I remember one judge saying to a dramatically aggressive attorney: “Now that you’re finished venting, I’m going to look at the facts of the case.”
Clerks at court are not supposed to give legal advice. But they are familiar with the attorneys who regularly come to court. Sometimes they will give you hints about who is good and who to avoid. You might ask a clerk, “If I had to choose between so-and-so and whats-her-name, who would you suggest?”
Source: Excerpt from SPLITTING: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing a Borderline or Narcissist by William A. Eddy, LCSW, Esquire as published on BPD Central, a list of resources for people who care about someone with borderline personality disorder (BPD).