Is there a way you can see, how good a lawyer really is?
365826
Try http://www.martindale.com/\n\nThe best lawyers are rated "AV" and this rating is based, in part, on peer review.\n\nWord of mouth is always the best guage.
885105
Meet a lawyer. You are legally entitled to a visit
572299
Talk to your local bar association.  They can give you a recommendation and tell you how long a particular attorney has been practicing PI work, as well as win/loss ratios.
646585
There's a bit of arbitrary here. In the US, any lawyer who is a member of his/her state Bar Association is a genuine lawyer. And the same is true in other countries as well, though with different terminology. \n\nBut what you're really asking is whether you can find a lawyer who wil actually work on your behalf rather than merely doing a perfunctory jub and then billing. Perhaps so, but you'd be more interested I think, in whether the lawyer was good, regardless of his/her attitude to ward you personally. And there's little way to tell that, unless you can foretell teh future. perhaps comments (idelaly anonaymous) of other lawyers in his/her town. and hope that all their opinions are honest as well as infomred. \n\nBut, since your problem is acute, you may not have enought time to do that. you might want to chekc local media for prior news (local lawyer sentenced for incompetence will be a giveaway, of course) and Google his or her name as well. You might turn up out of state problems.\n\nAnd interview before hiring. See whether you and a prospective lawyer get along personally. The hale fellow, well met cartoon sort of lawyer might not be suited to a shy and retiring slip of a girl client. \n\nGood luck with your problem.
908574
New evidence and a good attorney and maybe a higher court.
660341
I say a good lawyer, that would be a start. good luck.
348873
Certainly a lawyer........
648497
You can try the ABA, and also the State Bar Association for your state. For example, I've included a link to the CA State Bar where you can check an attorney's status
547522
"Thinking like a lawyer" involves two different sets of skills.\n\nThe first is the ability to formulate general rules that function as templates. Sometimes these rules are clearly stated, while other times you need to piece them together from long winded explanations in case opinions.\n\nThe second is the ability to pick out what facts are relevant to a given issue, and to understand how to apply those facts to one or more of your rules to come to a conclusion.\n\nFrom my observation, the average person jumps to the conculsion, then tries to find facts to support that conclusion. The lawyer, on the other hand, starts from a premise (the rule), applies the facts, and figures out what the result would be. If they don't like the answer, then they try to find a different rule that may also be appropriate, and try again. \n\nThat latter aspect is what tends to bother non-lawyers most. A lawyer may come up with two completely different answers, given the same set of facts, just by applying different rules. Being able to 'think like a lawyer' means being able to keep those different results in your head, and thus being able to argue either conclusion based on the starting rule.\n\nMost people think the facts only lead to one conclusion, since they are subconsiously assuming one one rule can apply. And since very few people are consciously aware of the assumptions they are making, it is difficult for them to see an alternate perspective. But that's what a lawyer is trained to do.
363880
Check with your state/local bar association.  To see about the attorney's experience, check Martindale which has a rating system as well as attorney credentials.
1092811
Actually, I really love my lawyer.\n\nHe refuses any case where he believes the person is guilty or is hiding something.\n\nOne third of the cases he takes he never gets a dime for.  Most of these are people who have little money and have been abused by someone else who did.  He will always take a case that involves abused children...to protect those children both from the system and from the abuser.\n\nSeveral of his clients actually brings us home grown vegetables, bread, and other meaningful gifts.\n\nHe doesn't make huge money, he has to pay for all his medical issues, he has to make his own provisions for retirement.\n\nBetween us, with natural and adopted children we have 15.  One is handicapped and will be with us forever.  We have 32 grandchildren and make a point to have someone visiting all the time.  We give generously to charities, both with our time and our dollars......we give over 10% of our income to charitable causes.  \n\nMay be you have had a bad experience.....but understand that there are a lot of lawyers out there who do a lot of "quiet" good things that confidentiality doesn't allow for discussion.  In other words, his good deeds are not bragged about.\n\nP.S.\n\nWe do our own laundry, ironing, yard work, home maintenance, and my husband does almost all of his car repair.
184420
Typically they are using their best knowledge of how to use the law to defend a case that their client brings them.  If you are on the wrong side of that case it can suck.  If you are on the right side of the case you love that lawyer.  Especially if you've been screwed so many times without using one.
1162674
The Illinois Bar Association provides a referral service, I am pretty sure.  All you will really know is that they weren't disciplined for anything and that they work in that area of law, though.  Still it is a place to start to get names and then ask them about their experience in the area. I'd go there before I went to the yellow pages, for example.
1071156
you should be able to afford a lawyer to do it right.
975509
ask  a  lawyer,  iam  sure  they  know.
542741
you don't...but you can contact your State Bar Association for information on any complaints or malpractice suits filed against the attorney in that state.
763836
There is an old saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.  IF you have a case, get an attorney.