The best way, in my opinion, is to obtain a referral from a friend, relative or co worker who was a client of the attorney and can tell you first hand their experience. Another way is to obtain a referral from a bar certified referral service by the State Bar of California. This ensures that the attorney has a valid license to practice law in California, has malpractice insurance and has experience in family law. The four bar certified referral services which are listed in this book also offer all callers a one half hour free consultation with a qualified attorney. As with all information in this book, phone numbers change so I have also placed their website address as well for your convenience. The author is, or has been, on three of these panels.

In addition, there are other ways to find out about attorney’s and their qualifications. A very respected company is called Martindale-Hubbell and their website is www.lawyers.com and they rate attorneys through a process called Peer Review Rating and also rate attorneys and law firms with a rating of AV, BV or CV. This is an independent and unbiased source of information. Of course, before hiring an attorney, it is crucial to meet with the attorney who will be handling your case personally to make sure that your personalities will work with each other.

Look to the appearance of the office and whether it is professional. Look to the appearance of the attorney and their professionalism. Does the attorney have a paralegal? Does the attorney have research programs to keep current on the law? Does the attorney attend family law seminars annually to keep their knowledge updated. Family law practice is difficult for both clients and attorneys so all of these are very important. There are many other ways to choose an attorney [specialist; geographical location; local reputation; etc.] and all are appropriate. You do not want to have “buyer’s remorse” when it comes to such an important decision.

>> Chapter Three: Should I Hire A Mediator Instead Of Hiring An Attorney?