Guide to Fresno Law Firms
If you've never needed to hire a lawyer before, or if you've only needed to use the services of a lawyer once or twice in the past, trying to find Fresno law firms may seem difficult. It can be hard to know what you need from a Fresno law firm, and phone book or web searches can sometimes be overwhelming instead of helpful. This guide will help you to figure out your own legal needs so that you can find a Fresno law firm to represent you.
Understanding Your Legal Issue
Before beginning your search for Fresno law firms, it is useful to focus yourself on your exact legal issue by getting it in writing. Start by getting out a piece of paper and a pen and writing down a brief (1-2 sentence) description of the legal issue you need a Fresno law firm for. Try to leave out emotions and focus exclusively on the legal issue at hand.
After writing this down, write your ideal resolution to your problem briefly. Again, confine your answer to legal, not emotional or personal, solutions so that you can better find a Fresno law firm to represent you.
Your Fresno Law Firm Needs
Writing down your problem and its solution is only the first step. After your problem and ideal resolution have been written down, you should start thinking about what you want from the Fresno law firms you are looking at. Are you hoping for especially aggressive representation? Do you want a lawyer with decades of experience with cases like yours? Is innovation important to you? How about budget?
Once you have thought about these issues, write down what you want, ideally, in a Fresno law firm. There are enough Fresno law firms that regardless of your answers, you will very likely be able to find what you're looking for, so don't worry—there are no right or wrong answers.
Types of Firms: Big Law Firms
Some clients prefer a more personal touch, but for others, the biggest Fresno law firms offer options that simply can't be offered at a smaller Fresno law firm. These firms have many lawyers, even more support staff, and long lists of (often high-profile) clients. While big Fresno law firms aren't for everybody, here are some signs that larger Fresno law firms may be what you're looking for:
ñ You're searching for representation for a corporate client, rather than yourself as an individual. A large Fresno law firm is likely to have many other corporations on its client list, and you will be more likely to get service that is responsive to the unique needs of a corporate entity.
ñ You want to find a law firm with a consistently high level of decorum and formality. While a smaller Fresno law firm can certainly also offer this, the largest Fresno law firms are run very much like businesses with a traditional hierarchy, which some clients prefer.
ñ You want to hire a law firm not only for now, but for the future. Large Fresno law firms can offer you a “deep bench” of lawyers who can represent nearly any kind of case, while a smaller Fresno law firm may not have as much in-depth specialty knowledge in as many fields.
Types of Law Firms: Small Firms
Big Fresno law firms may be very helpful for large corporate or high-profile clients with a high budget, but most regular people simply can't afford the billing costs of a large Fresno law firm (which will generally be hundreds of dollars an hour, even for the services of relatively inexperienced associates). If you need a less expensive option, narrowing your search to small Fresno law firms may be helpful.
In addition to lower hourly billing rates, a small Fresno law firm is more likely to offer alternative fee structures, like flat fees for legal representation for most common legal issues. If you are going through a very common issue, like fighting a traffic ticket, declaring bankruptcy, or filing uncontested divorce papers, you can probably find small Fresno law firms that will handle your entire case for a low flat rate.
There are also non-monetary reasons to prefer a small Fresno law firm. Instead of talking to legal secretaries, you are more likely to be able to consult with your lawyer directly over the phone. You can also find many small Fresno law firms with a less businesslike, more welcoming atmosphere designed to put inexperienced legal clients at ease.
Types of Law Firms: Practice Areas
Deciding what size of Fresno law firm you want is important, but it's not the only decision you'll have to make. You can narrow your list of Fresno law firms substantially by considering the area of practice you want your firm to have.
While most firms used to be general practice firms that accepted most types of cases, today's legal market is very different, and specialty firms abound. A general practice Fresno law firm can still be a great option for some types of legal clients, though. If you are looking to develop a lasting lawyer/client relationship and anticipate needing a lawyer more in the future, finding a Fresno law firm that can handle many types of legal problems may be important to you.
For people seeking a lawyer for only one legal issue, and who don't anticipate needing a Fresno law firm in the future, specialty Fresno law firms may be the best option. There are firms specializing in many types of law, including divorce and family law, immigration law, environmental law, real estate law, tax law, personal injury, medical malpractice, worker's compensation, labor and employment law, and disability law among many others. What type of firm you hire will depend on what kind of case you have.
After determining the size and scope of your ideal Fresno law firm, you will be much better equipped to search for Fresno law firms online or in the phone book. While searching for a lawyer is never completely easy, understanding the differences between types of firms will give you a great deal of guidance when you need legal help.
