Detroit Law Firms

What Makes a Good Detroit Law Firm?

Motor City USA definitely has its reasons for legal representation on several fronts – in particular, a company known as GM had its run-in with something called “bankruptcy.” And wouldn't you know it: bankruptcies can be handled, in fact, by lawyers.

There are other legal issues that exist in any city of the United States:

1. Criminal Charges

2. Divorce

3. Juvenile Delinquency

4. Adoption

5. Malpractice

6. Copyright

7. Mutual Funds

8. Mergers & Acquisitions

9. Auto Accident

And much, much more.

And Detroit, Michigan, is not exempt from these issues. They do happen.

This Is Why It’s Important to Find a Good Lawyer. But How?

Know where the good Detroit law firms are. Just about any lawyer will work in that type of office, called a ‘firm.’

But know this: the kind of Detroit law firm matters. And there are two kinds….

1. Large Law Firms

2. Small Law Offices

Why does it matter what size Detroit law firm? Aren’t all lawyers the same? No, they are not. It’s not the same thing as breezing through a phone book and looking for a plumber in your area. A broken pipe in the basement holds no candle to a Criminal Sexual Conduct charge.

So finding the right lawyer for the job does matter, but first you’ll have to understand what makes a good Detroit law firm.

First thing to know: there are strengths to every Detroit law firm; and a lot of it depends on the two types.

Focusing on the “Large” Detroit Law Firms: the Basics

They can be considered the cream of the crop. Some of the best lawyers will work for larger Detroit law firms. Why? Because those firms will pay the most money.

But that’s not where the strengths lie in large Detroit law firms. This is what you have to keep an eye on:

1. Better Teamwork

2. Better Resources

3. Better Technology

4. Better Track Record

Many might think that one single lawyer in any of these large Detroit law firms would make the difference. No. What really makes the difference – what makes it become a strength – is the focus on larger numbers.

In other words, teamwork.

Most Detroit law firms will actually make it a policy to assign more than one lawyer to any case – and it doesn’t matter if the particular case is simple or complex.

A large law firm will have one goal in mind: to win at any moral cost. And if it takes piling on a team to handle just one case, the office will do that. Because they can. They have the manpower to handle it.

This is generally very good for the client for obvious reasons.

Moreover, it’s not just the lawyers on the team – it’s also the “other resources”….

1. Legal Assistants

2. Paralegals

3. Legal Writers

4. Legal Interns

5. Mail Room Clerks

They’re all common personnel with a large firm for obvious reasons – to take a lot of the stress off a good trial lawyer. And any client would have a good chance of finding one in a large firm.

In addition to the importance of a trial lawyer, there’s the excellent track record most large firms have, plus the better access to technology to make the business run smoother.

With all of these benefits rolled into one, any client would have a nicely fitted package for a case and an almost certain road to victory.

Leaves the Smaller Law Offices in the Dust? Not so Much….

The legal industry is funny that way, really. Typically in business when a bigger fish comes around, the little fish get eaten up.

That’s not the way it works with law practices. Believe it or not, smaller offices still thrive for obvious reasons. Here’s why:

1. Better Rates and Fees

2. More Personal Services

3. More Hardworking

4. More Understanding of the State/Local Laws

5. And Better Specialization

Obviously, the larger firms will charge a good amount of money. But it makes sense that a smaller law office will charge less. Typically in the smaller law offices in Detroit, you may have one, two, maybe even three lawyers working – at the most. And only one legal secretary.

Typically there are no legal assistant teams, no paralegals, no access to a main company library with mounds of books. Just a four- or five-room office. And that’s it.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though! Because it cuts down on expenses. And it allows the lawyers working in those small offices to charge less for the services.

This can often times be a deal-breaker when looking to hire a lawyer. If it turns out that experience fits the bill in a small office just as much as in a large firm, but the smaller office charges less, chances are that client will go with the smaller office. It’s only a mathematical certainty.

In addition, because it’s a smaller setting, most “small-time” lawyers will devote just as much attention to the needs of the client as to the needs of the case – and maybe even more on the client than the case.

For many clients – and for certain cases – this can be a major plus. And because of the lack of staffing in a small office, the lawyers do tend to work much harder on the case, investing in that energy and determination.

It can lead to many victories in the courtroom. As there’s nothing more powerful than a convicted attorney.

Because the lawyers working in smaller offices work within a county, they choose then to only have legal jurisdiction in that county. That means they have the knowledge and understanding of many local/state laws, working relationships with many circuit judges, other lawyers, the entire legal system of that county. And that can provide a major benefit to a client.

Additionally, any specialization with a small-time office can trump the “department” of a big-time firm any day. Because that’s what the particular small office will do, day in and day out: handle cases of a specific nature. The attention to detail often times will win the case.

Don’t, However, Make a Judgment Based on the Strengths

Ultimately, it all depends on the case – what the case needs. As already mentioned, every firm in Detroit is different, no matter the size. But the strengths can indicate plenty in terms of which lawyer to hire.

All it takes is a better understanding of the law, the firms, the lawyers – and once that understanding gets embedded in the brain, a client can take that understanding and turn it into action, which hopefully may lead to cases won and the truth discovered for any of those legal issues.