There are many reasons why you might need to hire a lawyer. For instance, maybe you have to hire one because you got in a car accident, and now you need to sue the other driver. Perhaps you need a lawyer because you’re going to buy a house, and you want them to check into the details. You might need one if you plan to make out your will.

Whatever the reason for hiring an attorney, though, you want to be sure that you do not hire the wrong one. If you do, that can prove disastrous. A lawyer might give you bad advice. If you hire a criminal lawyer to defend you at trial, and they prove incompetent, you might lose the case and face jail time because of it.

We’ll talk about some ways that you can avoid hiring the wrong lawyer right now.

Make Sure You Get an Attorney Who Practices the Right Kind of Law

There are certain red flags to look out for when hiring a lawyer, but finding an attorney who does not practice the kind of law you need is one of the biggest. You might find a lawyer who seems perfectly competent. Maybe someone recommends their law firm to you.

However, they may know next to nothing about the kind of law you need. If you’re going to make out your will, you want an attorney who knows all about estate law. If you’re having trouble with the IRS, you want a lawyer who knows about tax laws.

Earlier, we gave the example of hiring a lawyer because you’re about to face trial for criminal charges. If you don’t want to end up behind bars, you had better find an attorney who knows about criminal law. You want one who with previous trial experience as well.

Look for Reviews Online

If you’re looking for a lawyer, regardless of why you need one, you can also find the right one by looking at their reviews online. People love posting reviews on the internet. You are just as likely to find attorney and law firm reviews as you are to find lawnmower or jogging shoe ones.

You can learn about a lawyer or firm by reading all the reviews you can find online. You might Google a lawyer’s name and see what comes up. If you see any negative reviews of that lawyer or firm, you know that you should probably go with someone else.

Check Their Pricing Structure Before You Commit to Anything

You will also need to hire a lawyer who you have the money to pay. If you feel like you have found the ideal lawyer or firm, don’t get them to do anything for you until you ask about their pricing structure and make sure you understand it.

For instance, maybe you’re hiring a lawyer who can represent you after you’ve had a car accident. Perhaps you sustained whiplash when a car hit your vehicle from behind.

You can probably find a lawyer to represent you pretty easily since many of them do car accident cases.

If they find that you have plenty of evidence to back up what happened, you’re in even better shape.

Maybe this lawyer demands that you pay them something upfront, though. They might also charge you by the hour, even if they lose your case.

For this kind of lawsuit, you should be able to find an attorney who will charge you on a contingency basis. That means you will not have to pay them any money unless they win your case for you.

If you get a lawyer for some other reason, and you can’t pay them on contingency, you need to make sure you can afford them. Lawyer fees can pile up very quickly, so you should know how much money you’re liable to need before signing a contract with an attorney or firm.

Don’t Hire Them if You’re Related to Them

It’s possible that you might hire a lawyer who you know. Maybe you’re friends with them, or perhaps you’re related to them.

It could be the situation will work out fine. They might charge you a reasonable fee, and they may do a great job for you.

It might turn out that you argue with them about something, though. Maybe they want you to conduct yourself a certain way, and you disagree with their advice.

Hiring a lawyer who you know amounts to mixing your personal and professional lives. That’s usually a mistake. It’s similar to dating someone with whom you work. It can backfire spectacularly, and then the relationship might never be the same.

Make Sure They’re Close Enough to Meet with You

You should also make sure not to hire a lawyer if they are too far away for you to reach easily.

Maybe you need to consult with this lawyer often. You need to talk to them on the phone or exchange emails, but perhaps you also feel like you need to speak to them in person sometimes.

If this lawyer’s office is more than an hour away, it’s best to find someone closer to you. It’s not inconceivable that you might hire an attorney who lives and works on the other side of the country, but it’s not ideal.

If you need a criminal lawyer, for instance, and you need them to come with you to depositions or trial appearances, it won’t do if that lawyer is hundreds or thousands of miles away. It’s far better if you can reach them easily, not just via Zoom call, phone message, or email, but also in person. You will probably trust a lot of information to your lawyer, and you want to be able to sit down in a room with them sometimes.

If you follow these tips, you stand a much better chance of finding the right lawyer. Doing so can help you avoid a lot of headaches in your life.