Find the Best Law Firm in Orange County: 6 Things to Consider

According to the American Bar Association, there are currently more than 1,338,000 lawyers in the US, and the number of lawyers has grown by 15.2% over the last decade. 

As a consumer, this is good news. The more lawyers there are in your area the more choice you have. But how do you go about picking the best law firm for your specific case?

If you choose the wrong lawyer, this could jeopardize your case, launch you into months of stress, and eat into your savings. 

To avoid this, keep reading to find out what to consider when looking for the best law firm in Orange County.

1. What Is Their Focus?

One of the first things to consider when looking for the best law firm to take your case to is their specialization. 

If you’re just looking for a little bit of legal advice, there’s no harm in consulting a “general practitioner” lawyer. They will have a broad overview of the most common fields of law. 

However, if you have a case on your hands that you need to win, the best law firm to go to will be the one that specializes in your case type. 

For instance, if you’ve been involved in a car accident, then you should look for the best accident attorney in your area, not a general attorney. An accident attorney will have extensive experience with cases similar to yours. They will probably have already negotiated with most large insurers numerous times, and know exactly how to win a vehicle accident case. 

2. How Big Is the Law Firm?

Another thing to think about when comparing different types of lawyers is the size of the law firm. 

Very large law firms are sometimes advantageous to work with if you have a complex, corporate case that requires a vast legal team and a lot of resources to pursue. 

However, for most regular cases, it’s usually better to hire a smaller law firm. Smaller law firms value all of their clients, not just the big cases. Unless your case is worth a few million, and you’re paying thousands in retainers fees, a big law firm will probably consider your case “small potatoes”. 

If you approach a very large law firm with a personal injury case or an auto accident case, there’s a good chance they’ll let it fall to the bottom of the barrel in terms of priority. This can result in relatively simple cases dragging on for far longer than they need to. It can also mean that you don’t get the results you are seeking.

Because big law firms don’t pay enough attention to the needs of their clients, they have a far higher dissatisfaction rate. According to a 2018 report, client dissatisfaction rates were 300% higher with big firms than with smaller law firms. 

At the same time, we would also recommend that you don’t opt for a one-person show. If a lawyer is operating out of their home office, with no firm behind them, this is not a strong indication of success.

3. What Is Their Fee Structure?

Ultimately, the best law firm for your needs has to be one that you can also afford. Yes, they must specialize in the right field of law for your case, have experience, and care about their clients.

But if their fees are unaffordable, this could slide you further into trouble. Therefore, make sure you get a clear idea of the fee structures of a potential law firm. 

Hourly fee structures are the most common, but some law firms also charge clients a retainer and consultation fees. Besides these costs, you might also end up paying extra for things like court fees, expert witnesses, etc. 

All of this can add up quickly, and often be a lot more than you anticipated. If you are worried about the potential costs of pursuing your case, look for a firm that works on a contingency fee. Instead of billing you along the way, regardless of the outcome of your case, with a contingency fee you will only pay if your lawyer wins your case. 

What’s more, the fee will often come out of the settlement, meaning you won’t have to pay out of your own pocket. Not does this make legal help more accessible, but it can also improve the odds of your case. No win no fee lawyers are motivated to win your case because if they don’t they won’t see any compensation. 

Here at Sweet Lawyers, we operate on a contingency basis. We don’t charge you a dime unless we win your case.  

4. How Quickly Do They Respond to You?

The best lawyers and law firms always respond to their clients quickly. If you’re trying to contact a potential law firm and they take forever to pick up the phone or answer your emails, this isn’t a good sign. 

If you start working with a lawyer, only to find out that you can never get hold of them, this can severely hold up your case. 

Sweet Lawyers is a modern law firm, and we believe that clients have the right to get hold of us any time, whether it’s day or night. Because of this, we are available 24 hours a day and you can call, email, or text us whenever you need to. 

5. How Long Have They Been in Operation?

Another thing to find out when looking for the best lawyers in Orange County is how long they have been practicing. You can either ask directly during an initial consultation or browse potential law firm websites. 

Start by doing a search for “best law firm near me” and click on the results. If you like the look of the websites and the firm in general, see if their home page or “about” page has a mention of how long the firm has been operating and the professional background of the partners. 

6. What Do Their Previous Clients Have to Say?

When weighing up which is the best law firm to choose, you can also look into what previous clients have to say. If you know someone who has used a law firm you’re considering you can ask them.

You can also check Google Reviews, and browse the law firm’s website testimonials and case results. 

Looking for the Best Law Firm in Orange County?

Now that you know about these 6 things to consider, finding the best law firm in Orange Country won’t be hard. 

What’s more, you don’t have to look far. 

Sweet Lawyers is a trusted law firm that values its clients and fights for their rights. We have over 40 years of experience fighting cases, multiple areas of legal specialty, and a 98% success rate. 

We also won’t charge you a cent unless we win your case, and our consultations are 100% free. 

Contact us to book a free consultation and get the ball rolling on your case.