If you have decided that you aren’t going to let your civil rights be violated any longer, that means you’ll be looking for a Chicago lawyer to help you file your case. This is a very smart step, as it would be nearly impossible to present your case alone. Discrimination laws are so complex and numerous that anyone who has not been properly trained would find it difficult to win a civil rights case.
So, how do you find a Chicago attorney? There are many ways, but some of our favourites are through the Internet, attorney referral, and attorney directory listings.
A good, detailed search on Google or a similar search engine will help you obtain plenty of results without having to weed through them yourself. For instance, you may find 300 entries in the phone book for “attorneys” but the majority of them will probably be divorce, tax, criminal, and injury attorneys—which won’t help you if you need a civil rights lawyer. That’s why the Internet is so handy, as you can specify the exact type of attorney you’re searching for and in whichever area you live.
Attorney referral is basically singing praises about an attorney’s abilities through word-of-mouth. Whether a family member, friend, or co-worker has made a suggestion to you, or if you have asked around for ideas, this process is a great way to get a list of good possibilities together. Try asking people whose opinion you can trust, and try to get as much information about their experience as possible. Ask whether they felt they were able to speak openly with the lawyer, if he/she seemed capable, and how much experience the attorney had. You can ask each lawyer some background questions in a consultation later on, but this way you will be able to commit most of your “search time” contacting attorneys you feel are most suitable for your case.
Attorney directories are a great place to find a condensed explanation about many lawyers’ background information and area of expertise. You can expect any good directory listing to pre-screen all of their listings to make sure that they are genuine, qualified attorneys. The listing should offer a description about the lawyer’s firm so you can easily sort through the ones that will be beneficial to you. You will find contact information for each lawyer so you are able to contact the ones you want to consult with. There are several directories out there to choose from and it can’t hurt to have a look around!
