Do Your Homework Before You Hire an Attorney

This week I met with a gentleman who had really done his homework. He said the reason that he hired our firm was because of the online reviews that we have received. He reviewed the testimonials on our website, and he also looked at Google reviews, Facebook reviews, and even Yelp reviews.

Obviously, he spent a great deal of time doing his research. He told me something interesting, and it made me think. He said that quite a few firms have testimonials on the website, but they did not have any testimonials on review sites.

He drew this very logical question based on his research:

  • Can attorneys pad their websites with testimonials?
  • Can those reviews be false reviews? 

Quite honestly, I guess they can -- and I'm sure some attorneys believe they can game the system by doing so. I do not know any of them; however, I guess anything is possible. I really never thought about gaming the system, as we focus on our clients and helping them make great legal decisions.

In today's world of text messages, mobile, and online advertising, it's important to remember to do your homework. I don't care if you're buying a car, a house, a toaster, or hiring a lawyer. You have to do the research.

The most important thing is finding the right lawyer to handle your case. If you're hiring an attorney because of a television commercial or a radio announcement, you may be making a very bad decision.

Go online and read the reviews. Check out the testimonials on their website. Look at the Better Business Bureau and even sites like Glassdoor.com (sometimes a negative employee review can shed a lot of light!). If you need more information, you can Google "attorney reviews" and look for more information, but be careful because attorneys can pay for websites to rank them higher.

As always, we will continue to share information with you to help you make the best decision possible when it comes to hiring a lawyer. To the gentleman that did his homework and hired our law firm - you've made the right (informed) choice.

Categories