What Makes a Good Miami Law Firm?
Miami. The place to be. It’s like a melting pot of people, all races, ethnicity, culture, fun in the sun. Name one person that doesn’t like the city of Miami.
Of course, all the fun in the world along with style to rival that of Paris, France, can’t escape legal situations. And they come in all varieties:
1. Divorce
2. Copyright
3. Malpractice
4. Bankruptcy
5. Personal Injury
6. Insurance Fraud
7. Taxes
8. Estate Planning
9. Property
10. Business
11. Auto Accident
12. Workman’s Comp
So it makes sense to find a good lawyer. But where?
How About in a Good Miami Law Firm?
That’s the ticket.
It would seem pretty easy to find one. Just simply look in the phone book. Go under the subject of ‘Attorneys’ (or ‘Lawyers’), and you’ll find a whole slew of them with all kinds of names for different Miami law firms. You can find at least ten, if not more.
That still doesn’t solve the dilemma, though. Why?
Because Finding a Lawyer Isn’t Like Finding a Pool Cleaner For Your Miami Swimming Pool
A lot of research goes into finding the right Miami law firm. That’s for sure. For starters, you need to know what makes a good Miami law firm. And not just an experienced firm, but a firm that fits the particular case.
This is where you start….
There Are Two Kinds of Miami Law Firms to Consider….
1. “Large” Law Firms
2. “Small” Law Firms
And you’d know them right off the bat, right by looking at the outside of the office. And sometimes you may even be able to spot these two types of Miami law firms in the phone book.
Large Law Firms
1. Bold Letters
2. Advertising Space
3. Skyscraper
4. National and Maybe Even Global Presence
Small Law Firms
1. Simple Listings
2. Smaller Building or Complex
3. Not Much Presence
What’s funny is that automatically nine people out of ten would notice right away that the larger Miami law firm would be the best bet, just by looking at these two lists of ‘characteristics.’
Don’t be fooled. This doesn’t constitute any superiority or competition between the two types of Miami law firms. Not by any stretch.
If there’s anything anyone has to learn about business, it’s that corporate size doesn’t necessarily matter.
Miami law firms do have their own strengths. And you’ll notice common strengths for both types of Miami law firms. Starting off with….
The Small Law Office
In a way, this is the kind of office that would emit sort of that romantic feel of a John Grisham novel. The underdog. The “little guy,” hardworking and fighting a losing battle and all that jazz.
The truth is most smaller law offices offer the same experience, skill, and chance of getting a favorable decision out of any case. I mentioned it before, and I’ll say it again: size doesn’t necessarily matter.
Typically, you can expect smaller firms to have these advantages:
1. Better Rates and Fees
2. More Personable and Hardworking
3. Localization and Specialization
Cheaper Is Better? Sometimes….
It’s a fact in the legal business. The smaller firms will charge less. And when it comes to hiring a lawyer, less is great.
Does that mean the quality would be the same? Sometimes. But that’s what the free consultation is for: to determine if the lawyer working in the small office still has the skill despite the better rates and fees.
The fact is, though, that most small-time attorneys charge less only for these basic reasons:
1. Less Office Space
2. Less Staff to Put on Payroll
3. Less Business Expense
And it makes perfect business sense! When you think about the legal industry, too, it’s not like lawyers everywhere are hurting for clientele. There’s always going to be strong demand. Hence there’s no real need to compete with pricing.
So a client can strike gold if finding a lawyer charging less in a smaller office versus a high-priced attorney in one of the skyscraper firms, especially when the ride on the elevator up to the 360th floor can get sort of tiresome. Simply walk into the door of a small law office, and you’re set.
These Small-time Attorneys Will Work Hard For You and the Case
This is where the John Grisham romantics come in, too. It stands to reason that with the small setting and the smaller list of clientele that a small-time lawyer will work that much harder on any given case.
But not just the case – in addition, a good attorney will focus on the client’s needs. And that’s a major game-changer when hunting for a lawyer to hire.
Smaller Setting Means a Better Niche
That’s Business Smarts 101 right there. If you want good business, set your demographic right. The smaller offices can land the best cases, the best experience, and the better knowledge when focusing directly on local and state laws, no doubt.
Plus there’s no need to expand on the specialization. While it might offer better chances to obtain new clientele, if a smart lawyer plays his or her cards right, he or she can do just fine sticking to one niche. And likewise, a client will do just fine hiring a lawyer working solely on that niche.
But Then What About the Larger Firms?
Yes, the smaller legal warriors do have their place. But there’s a reason those big skyscrapers were put in place!
These large law firms in Miami came to be for a reason: they’re hugely successful. And here’s why:
1. Teamwork
2. Resources
3. Technology
4. Track Record
You can’t get simpler than that. Starting with….
Two or Three Lawyers Can Beat Out One in a Courtroom Any Day
Mathematically, it makes sense. When two or three put their heads together, the result can turn out pretty well.
Would you like to know just how many lawyers can be staffed in a larger firm? Twenty. Maybe thirty.
Larger law firms are that formidable.
Legal Support for a Big-time Lawyer
In addition, you can expect the large law firms in Miami to have a slew of these working types in the office:
1. Legal Assistants
2. Paralegals
3. Legal Interns
4. Legal Writers
5. Mail Room Clerks
6. Jury Pickers
7. Closers
8. Openers
The sky’s the limit. There’s no way any lawyer working in one of these firms would ever feel overworked! And most of the time, that means a lawyer can focus specifically on the case in the courtroom. Where it all matters.
Likewise, the Technology Resource Helps – and Then Leads to the Ultimate Deal-Maker: an Unbeatable Track Record
With any large company experiencing tremendous growth, expansion, and success, the advent of business technology explodes –
1. Tablet Technology
2. Communication Technology
3. Smartphone Technology
4. Social Media Technology
There’s no stopping a law firm that harnesses that kind of power. And it undoubtedly leads to a certainty – that a lawyer working for a larger firm not only gets paid the most, but wins the most. Hands down.
In the End, Though, the Only Thing That Matters Is the Actual Case
Finding the right firm in Miami isn’t about which firm has the most or best strengths or advantages. It’s about the case.
But knowing the strengths, knowing the advantages – that matters. And it’ll help make the right decision.
