Find an Attorney in New York

New York state has thousands of lawyers, which means you should easily find a qualified attorney who can handle your legal dispute. However, you need to know where to look. You have several options. You can obtain a referral from the state’s bar association, which is an organization made up of lawyers. Lawyers referred through the bar association charge a reduced fee for their consultations. You can also get referrals from friends or business colleagues. If money is tight, look for free legal help.

Steps

Contacting the State Bar Association

1. Contact the referral service. You can get a referral by contacting the referral and information service at 1-800-342-3661. Alternately, you can email LR@NYSBA.ORG.
   • This referral service only covers certain counties. If you live in a county not covered by the bar association, they will give you a number to call.
   • You can also find numbers for local bar associations here: https://www.americanbar.org/directories/lawyer-referral-directory/lawyer-referral-directory.html?q=inmeta:STATE_SERVED%3DNew%252520York.
2. Describe your legal situation. To properly assist you, the bar association will ask you to describe your legal dispute. They need to know this information so that they can match you to an attorney with experience in that practice area.
   • Answer all questions honestly. Remember that what you tell the person over the phone will be confidential.
3. Prepare for the consultation. The lawyer will need certain information from you in order to analyze your case. Accordingly, you should gather helpful documents. If you are being sued, take a copy of the complaint and summons.
   • If you have been injured, then bring copies of your medical records and the police or incident report.
   • You should also write down a summary of what happened.
   • Don’t forget questions. You’ll want to understand how much the lawyer bills per hour (should you hire them) and what kinds of experience they have with disputes like yours.
4. Attend the consultation. Your consultation will last for a half hour. Discuss the legal dispute with the lawyer and figure out what steps to take. You aren’t required to hire the person, nor is the attorney obligated to represent you.
   • Remember to ask questions. If you don’t feel comfortable with the answers the lawyer gives, then you will probably need to request another referral.
   • The consultation will be free if your case involves a dispute in any of the following areas: personal injury, social security, veteran’s or military law, medical malpractice, unemployment compensation or workers’ compensation.
   • For all other disputes, you will pay a $35 fee.
5. Hire the lawyer. If you think the lawyer is a good fit, then you’ll sign an engagement letter or fee agreement. This document will explain everything the lawyer will do for you as well as your own responsibilities. It will also explain how much the lawyer will bill you.
   • Make sure you agree with everything in the agreement before signing. Raise any disagreements with the lawyer.

Obtaining Other Referrals

1. Find referrals to a business lawyer. If you need a business lawyer, then contact your local Chamber of Commerce and ask for a referral. Ask to speak to the director. This person should be able to recommend someone.
   • You can also talk to another business owner who has a business like yours. For example, another dentist might have been sued by a patient. You can ask which lawyer represented them.
   • You can also talk to your accountant, banker, real estate broker, or insurance agent. They may also be able to recommend a lawyer.
2. Ask another lawyer for a referral. You might have used a lawyer for a different issue. If you trusted them, call them up and ask if they can refer you to a lawyer who specializes in your kind of dispute. For example, you might have had a criminal defense attorney represent you in a DUI case. Call and ask if they know a divorce lawyer.
   • The legal profession is small, so lawyers should know the reputations of other lawyers.
3. Get referrals from friends and family. People you know might have used a lawyer recently. You can ask them if they would recommend this person.
   • Ask what they liked about the lawyer and what they didn’t like. People sometimes have different expectations of lawyers.
   • Avoid immediately hiring a lawyer recommended by family or friends. Instead, you can schedule a consultation with the lawyer and make a decision based on how comfortable you felt with them.
4. Talk to non-profits. You might have a legal issue that non-profits are interested in. For example, if you are suing to prevent the government from building a freeway through your neighborhood, you could talk to an environmental organization. They can probably refer you to a lawyer.
5. Search online. Use an online directory or perform a simple Google search. Directories should provide links to the lawyer’s website, which is helpful. Some of the more common directories are the following:
   • Nolo
   • FindLaw
   • Avvo
   • Martindale-Hubbell

Finding Low-Cost Legal Help

1. Visit the LawHelp website. New York has a legal aid website here: http://www.lawhelpny.org/. This website contains a ton of information for people facing legal disputes involving housing, consumer, worker rights, family, and immigration cases.
   • You can find a lawyer at this website: http://www.lawhelpny.org/find-legal-help. Choose your location and your legal issue from a drop-down menu. You will then be given the names and contact information for different legal aid organizations in New York that can help you.
   • Call up a legal aid organization and discuss your issue.
   • Each legal aid organization has different requirements for accessing services. Generally, however, you will need an income around 125% of the federal poverty level or lower. Contact the organization directly and ask about their requirements. Some have flexible income guidelines.
2. Call a legal aid hotline in your city. Your borough, city, or county might have a legal aid hotline. You can find it by looking in your phone book or by searching online. Type “legal aid” and then your location. Find the number and call.
   • There may also be an online intake form you can complete at the legal aid website. Someone at the organization will analyze your information and call you back.
3. Ask for a public defender. Low-income defendants in a criminal matter can get a court-appointed attorney. You should talk to the judge at your arraignment. You will have to complete paperwork with the public defender’s office to show your financial condition.
   • You’ll need to present proof of identification, proof of income, and copies of your pending charges.
   • There may be application forms you can download from the website of the public defender.

References

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