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The internet is a powerful tool, but remember that it is only the beginning of your search for an attorney.  Establishing an attorney-client relationship is a matter of personal choice, comfort, and confidence in the attorney’s ability.

Also remember that websites are advertisements. You should read the advertising carefully and formulate questions to ask the attorney. If you are having difficulty obtaining a return phone call or answers to your questions, that evasiveness should send off warning bells.

Check with Martindale-Hubbell which gives candid ratings of a lawyer’s ability and integrity.

No question is wrong if you want the answer to it. Common questions include:

• Do you accept certain kinds of cases?
• What is your track record?
• Have any of your cases been published or resulted in reported decisions?
• What professional groups and associations do you belong to?

Different areas of law may charge differently. Many divorce lawyers charge flat rates for certain things, such as adoptions, the same for bankruptcy lawyers and criminal defense attorneys. Business and/or transactional lawyers traditionally bill by the hour and their hourly rates vary by years of experience and type of expertise.

However, in the area of injury and accident law, attorneys typically work on a contingency fee agreement.  Accident and personal injury cases are complex and costly, and in contingency fee agreements, the contingency is applied only if you win.