How to Find Local Representation
People from across the United States and Canada find our law firm online on a daily basis. They often ask us: “how do I find a lawyer locally if I live out of state from the lawsuit?” Perhaps the caller had been driving through a state and was involved in a car accident. Or, the caller had lived somewhere briefly (for school or otherwise), only to get sued in that state, by a debt collector, but the Defendant has since relocated.
For legal matters in Western Pennsylvania, we routinely serve as local counsel for out-of-state parties needing representation in Pennsylvania.
But What if Your Case is Located Outside of Our Geographic Area?
Let’s say the case is in Florida, or Maine, or California? What do we tell callers needing help in those areas where we don’t practice? In this article, we discuss various options to find local legal representation in any geographic area across the United States. We’ll address the pros and cons of searching for a lawyer via: (a) doing a Google Search (b) calling a State Bar Association, or (d) the local County Bar Association.
So let’s get started!
Google Search
A quick Google search can help you find local counsel quickly. Just search: the name of the nearest city (such as “Miami” or “St. Louis” or “Los Vegas”) plus “lawyer” and list the subject matter area of law (“debt collection defense” or “car accident or “non-compete enforcement,” etc.).
Pros: Locating the law firm’s profile on Google Maps will reveal verified Google reviews. This is a great resource. Most of our clients find us through Google searches.
Cons: A search by city name only works if there’s a major city near the place you need a lawyer. For example, a Pittsburgh lawyer will often serve the surrounding areas of Beaver, Butler, or Washington County. That said, in parts of central Pennsylvania, the dispute might be too distant for a Pittsburgh lawyer, or even one from Philly or Harrisburg, PA. What then?
Plus, as odd as it sounds, some great lawyers have no online presence whatsoever. This happens with more senior attorneys or those in rural areas, where potential clients know of that lawyer already via word-of-mouth. Thus, Google would have way of recommending any such lawyer!
So then what?
State Bar Association
Many lawyers belong to their state’s Bar Association. And yes, your state’s State Bar Association will provide a lawyer referral service. Pennsylvania’s Bar Association provides such a service.
However, the pool of lawyers available will be relatively low. But why? First, state bar membership is optional in most states, so not all lawyers will belong to their State Bar Association. For example, Pennsylvania’s “State Bar Association” is relatively expensive to join. It’s a private entity that exists from collecting membership dues. Thus, many lawyers — including yours truly — have opted out of PA State Bar Association membership. This reduces the number of lawyers available to receive PA State Bar referrals.
But wait, how could that be true? What does it mean to “pass the bar” and be a “member of the bar”? Isn’t there a state “bar association” that regulates lawyers?
No.
In fact, in Pennsylvania, it’s not the “PA Bar Association” that oversees lawyers. Rather, in PA, the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board handles both the admission to practice law and oversight of lawyers in PA. Granted, the PA Disciplinary Board’s site will tell you if a given lawyer has faced professional discipline — a excellent thing to know when selecting an attorney (click here for “lawyer look up” in PA). But the Disciplinary Board will not “recommend” or even “suggest” a lawyer in any given area.
Fortunately, there’s a better option to find a local lawyer.
County Bar Association
Every County in the United States has some form of “county bar association, which often provide a robust and effective lawyer referral service. This is true even counties lacking a major city. For example, Beaver County, PA, click here. For Washington County, PA, click here.
Pros: First, the number of participating lawyers is relatively high, because joining the local county bar association tends is fairly cheap. Secondly, a county bar association is “local,” compared to the State Bar Association, meaning, it’s closer to the community where the lawyers live, making it more in tune with each lawyer’s particular practice area.
Cons: Contacting the local county bar association is a popular option; thus, you may experience long wait times when calling a county bar association for a lawyer. Why is it so popular? In PA, all civil lawsuits (not just criminal cases) must (1) notify the Defendant of his right to counsel and (2) provide the phone number of the county bar association for a lawyer referral. As such, given the demand, you might not get a live person on the phone right away, when you call. Plus, it can be several days before the county bar association “springs” to action to find you a lawyer.
But if you decide to go the County Bar Association route for a lawyer referral, it’s easy. Just do a Google search of the name of the County (for example, “Allegheny County”) the phrase bar association and “lawyer referral.”
Let’s Get Started!
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