Baltimore Law Firm

What Makes a Good Baltimore Law Firm?

That may be where justice originated for our country – was there by the East Coast. In particular, the proud state of Maryland has a long history of legal battles that still continue today in many different arenas –

1. Divorce

2. Copyright

3. Juvenile Delinquency

4. Bankruptcy

5. Property

6. Criminal

7. Adoption

8. Personal Injury

9. Court Martial

And much, much more. It would stand to reason that knowing what makes a good Baltimore law firm would be crucial. Because when the law gets involved, preparation is paramount.

For starters, finding a good lawyer is the way to go for any of these legal issues. But where?

Knowing Where to Find the “Good” Ones

It’s about the Baltimore law firms out there. Which ones are the good ones? The key is to knowing the two types of Baltimore law firms….

1. Large Law Firms

2. Small Law Offices

This is pretty typical, actually, in the legal industry. And you can spot both of these types right off the bat, by looking in from the outside –

Large Law Firms

1. Skyscraper

2. Big Name

3. National or Global Presence

Small Law Offices

1. Smaller Building or Business Complex

2. Simple Partnership or Individual Propriety

3. Local or State Presence

Know this, though, about these practical differences: they in no way show that one type of Baltimore law firm is superior over the other. In other words, just because one particular Baltimore law firm resides in a skyscraper doesn’t mean that it may succeed in the legal field a lot more than a dinky little office out in the sticks.

Both types of Baltimore law firm have their strengths. And those unique strengths can apply to any given case, depending on the circumstance.

Knowing what those strengths are will be the key to finding the very best lawyer for the case.

Starting Off With Smaller Law Offices….

A Baltimore law firm operating on a small setting sometimes means a bigger punch. You don’t see these hard-hitting attorneys! For obvious reasons….

1. Better Rates and Fees

2. More Personable Service

3. More Hardworking

4. Better Understanding of Local and State Laws

5. Better Specialization

It’s pretty impressive, really. Sort of makes all those “big names” look not so ‘big.’

The obvious advantage to start off with concerning these smaller Baltimore law firms is this:

They’re Cheaper!

There are, of course, some exceptions. But generally speaking, small-time lawyers charge less than the big names up in the skyscrapers. And not for the reasons you’re thinking.

While the larger-office attorneys have a lot of advantages (which we’ll get to), it doesn’t force a small-time attorney in one of these little Baltimore law firms to lower the pricing.

Generally the main reason is financial necessity. Think about it.

A number of aspects can allow a lawyer to charge less:

1. Smaller Office

2. Less Staffing

3. Less Bills

4. Less Resources

Typically in these smaller Baltimore law firms, one, two, maybe three lawyers at the most work on a daily basis. At best, they’ll have one secretary/legal assistant on staff. And that’s it. That’s pretty minimal expense. And it’s good news for a client, because it won’t sacrifice experience or talent in the courtroom.

Personality and Hard Work

Because lawyers in the smaller Baltimore law firms, these “law offices,” operate in a smaller setting, they tend to work harder for their clients and devote more attention not just to the case, but to the clients.

They generally need less clientele on the docket – allowing them to devote that attention to each client and involve themselves in the entire case. For many clients and many cases, that is a big plus even when it means the lawyer spreads all of his or her energy throughout.

Localization and Specialization

To make up for that kind of attention, too, limiting the work is almost a definite. This doesn’t mean a small-time attorney in this type of Baltimore law firm loses work – rather, the key is focusing the work.

Not only is the attorney handling a specific niche in the legal field, but he or she’s also handling that niche well by not dealing with any other genres of law practice. Moreover, a better understanding of the law as it pertains to the residing county or even the entire state of Maryland can account for better service for many cases.

Why? Because some cases only deal with state laws. And there’s nothing better than a lawyer handling those cases day in, day out, without distraction.

So Does That Make the Larger Firms Wishy-Washy?

No. They’re large corporations for a reason. So this is what you get to look forward to regarding these types of law firms….

1. Team Effort

2. Better Resources

3. Better Technology

4. Better Track Record

It most definitely is like an army in one of these skyscrapers. And the army works together in many different ways to achieve favorable results in a courtroom, starting with….

Two Heads Are Better Than One

That couldn’t be truer in a larger law firm. Why? When dealing with a case, a lawyer can get plenty of assistance through the help of another. And most large firms will generally make it a policy to assign more than one attorney to any case, no matter how small the case may be.

It’s a team mentality. Any large firm may have anywhere between ten or twenty lawyers on staff. That’s quite the team. And when in the courtroom, nothing looks more intimidating than a team of lawyers walking in to represent just one client.

And Then There’s Even More Support

What do you expect from such a big business? Put aside the massive team of lawyers, and you’ll still get….

1. Paralegals

2. Legal Assistants

3. Mail Room Clerks

4. Interns

5. Legal Writers

The level of support is staggering. No lawyer in a large firm would break a sweat and cold devote sole attention to the case in the courtroom.

And that’s a key advantage: the courtroom.

Couple That With Great Technology, and You’re Looking at a Great Track Record

With any big business, you’ll get massive amounts of technology designed to help the corporation run a lot smoother. That’s for sure. That would include….

1. Smartphone Technology

2. Laptop Technology

3. Tablet Technology

4. Social Media Technology

5. Communications Technology

Can you say “great track record”? Name one large firm out there with a mediocre track record. It won’t happen.

Ultimately, Though, It Depends on the Case

Again, though, no firm is superior than another. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. So it depends on the case. What the case requires.

But knowing what kind of strengths there are with law firms in Baltimore can help lead to the correct decision toward the right lawyer for the job.