How Do You Find Out Who Is Good In Your Area? Choosing an attorney to represent you is obviously an important task. The decision certainly should not be made on the basis of advertising alone. There are certain questions to ask that will lead you to the best attorney for your family.

1. Don t Limit Your Search By Geography Alone
First, while your attorney should be licensed in your state, do not limit your search geographically. There are a small handful of attorneys in your area who specialize in estate planning. Find the best attorney in your area for your family and don’t concern yourself with geography. Our firm handles cases throughout San Diego and Orange County. A law firm that specializes in Trusts & Estates mayy also have a satellite office in your area in which you can meet with a qualified attorney who is the right attorney for you.

2. Get a Referral From an Attorney or Other Advisor
Get a referral from an attorney, financial advisor or CPA whom you know. He or she will probably know someone who is good and specializes in your area of need.

3. Beware of Internet Directories
Beware of internet “directories” promising to get you a qualified lawyer. We get solicited almost daily from companies who will offer to place us in their directories for a hefty fee. Most of these “directories of specialists” are a joke because they are simply like a yellow pages ad on the internet.

4. Beware of Yellow Page Ads
We do not advertise in the Yellow Pages. Most of our cases come from referrals from other attorneys, financial advisors, CPAs, or from satisfied clients. Be careful about the ads that tout many different specialties; no one can be a master of all. Be careful about the full-page ads. Make sure that the attorney you hire is selective enough with his or her cases that your important case does not become just one more file in the pile.

5. Beware of Bar Association Referral Hotlines
The Bar Associations have lawyer referral services (in San Diego County, we have the San Diego County Bar Association and North County San Diego County Bar Association). Understand that lawyers have signed up and paid a fee to be listed in certain specialties. Their names come up on a rotating basis. Remember that the bar association is not making any judgment about who is a good attorney and who is not.

6. Is the Attorney a Published Author
Ask each attorney if they have a book, published articles or a web site so that you can find out more about his or her qualifications and experience before you walk in the door.

7. Forget Fancy Slogans and Hype
Slogans like “we care for you” or “we help you protect your assets” are absolutely meaningless. After all, aren’t these the things that you would expect from your estate planning attorney?

8. Does the Attorney Carry Malpractice Insurance?
Does the attorney hold a legal malpractice insurance policy? This is a sign of accountability. Anyone can make a mistake and you should not make the mistake of hiring an attorney who does not have malpractice insurance. Remember, in many states, an attorney is not required to carry malpractice insurance. Don’t get burned by an attorney who does not think enough about his clients to carry malpractice insurance. Also note that attorneys that are incorporated (often signified by the letters P.C. or A.P.C. after their firm name) must maintain malpractice insurance per the California State Bar Association.

9. Ask What Law School the Attorney Attended
Just like any other school, law schools that are harder to get into have higher standards and only accept the best students. Ask the attorney where he or she went to law school.

10. Does the Attorney Belong to Any Professional Organizations
Membership in an organization such as WealthCounsel indicates that the attorney you are meeting with is committed to staying up on the latest estate planning developments. These organizations provide extensive education and networking with peers for their members. Why would you hire an attorney who is not a member when there are good, experienced attorneys out there who are members?

11. Clear Disclosure of Fee Ranges Prior to Your Appointment
Many estate planning attorneys won’t disclose their fee ranges to you prior to your appointment. This may make you uncomfortable. While it is impossible to quote you an exact fee ahead of time without knowing the particulars of your case, they should be willing to give you an estimated fee range. At the other end of the spectrum, be careful of an attorney that quotes a fixed fee without talking to you about your case, they probably charge everyone the same fee because they give everyone the same plan or a form out of their drawer which may or may not meet your family’s needs (also known as “trust-mill” law firms). An attorney that gives true value through his or her advice is what you should focus on.