Rochester Law Firms

Guide to Rochester Law Firms

There's really no such thing as the “best” Rochester law firm. Everyone's needs and expectations are different, and Rochester law firms come in many types. It is much easier to look for a Rochester law firm if you've done your homework beforehand and narrowed down your search to firms that will meet your needs. This guide will help you understand what your own needs are, and make it easier for you to find Rochester law firms that will satisfy them.

Write it Out

Even before you start your search for a Rochester law firm, you should make yourself aware of your own legal needs. Begin by getting out a sheet of paper and a pen, then writing down a brief (1-2 sentence) description of your legal issues that you want to find Rochester law firms to help with. Try to keep extraneous details out and focus on the basics of your problem.

After you have a good grasp on the legal issue you want to hire a Rochester law firm for, you should think about the way you'd like to see your problem resolved. Write down another 1-2 sentences that describe your ideal resolution. Keeping your problem and your goal in front of you in this way can help you stay focused during what could otherwise be an overwhelming search.

What You Need

With your problem and goal clearly written out, you know why you need Rochester law firms. Now, it's time to think about what kind of law firm you want reprresenting you. Even if you've never visited a lawyer before, you may have some idea of what you're looking for in a Rochester law firm. you may want a law office that puts you at ease and gives you a lot of contact with your lawyer, or a firm that handles cases very quickly and efficiently. Write down any preferences you have for your legal representation, including how much your budget is.

Types of Law Firms: Big Firms

When you begin to look for Rochester law firms, one of the biggest decisions you can make is about the size of the firm you're looking for. A large Rochester law firm will have dozens of lawyers and many support staff, and may be a branch office of a substantially larger national or international firm. For some clients, especially those with a high profile, these large Rochester law firms can be a great legal option. These are some signs that you may want to look for a large Rochester law firm:

ñ You are seeking representation for a corporation, not yourself. The largest Rochester law firms have many corporate clients already and may be better able to anticipate your legal needs.

ñ You want to find a Rochester law firm with a very professional, businesslike atmosphere, including many support staff, and don't mind paying top dollar for your legal representation. These Rochester law firms tend to charge significantly more than smaller ones.

ñ You are looking for a Rochester law firm that can represent you in a wide variety of legal matters, including specialized ones. The larger number of lawyers in these Rochester law firms can assure you that you'll always have an experienced lawyer to represent you.

Not everyone is best served by a large Rochester law firm. While high-profile and corporate clients may need the “deep bench” that larger Rochester law firms can offer, many regular people simply don't need or can't afford a large firm. For these clients, a smaller Rochester law firm will probably address their needs much better.

Types of Law Firms: Small Firms

The price of large Rochester law firms can give a lot of clients sticker shock. The billing rates charged by a large Rochester law firm come from having a lot of overhead in the form of huge offices, many support personnel, and high salaries to attract top talent. Smaller Rochester law firms are likely to offer significantly reduced rates compared to their larger competitors.

Frugal shoppers may want to comparison shop for legal services, and many smaller firms make this easier by offering flat rate legal fees. Instead of paying per hour of your lawyer's time, you will pay an agreed-upon fee that covers all of your legal services for your current problem, from beginning to end. Flat fees make comparing much easier, and a small Rochester law firm may also be willing to offer you a payment plan to keep your legal fees affordable on a small budget.

There are many non-financial reasons to consider smaller Rochester law firms, as well. A small Rochester law firm can offer better support for clients who may not have needed legal representation before, and may be warmer and more inviting than the businesslike atmosphere of larger firms.

Types of Law Firms: Practice Areas

After you have decided what size of Rochester law firm best meets your needs, you should think about whether you want a lawyer just for the legal issue you have now, or whether you want a continuing relationship with a firm.

Clients who want to use the same firm repeatedly, for different types of cases, may feel most comfortable looking at general practice Rochester law firms. These firms take all types of cases, and can continue representing you even if your next case is about something substantially different than your current one.

However, if you only want to hire a firm for a particular legal issue and want a lawyer with extensive experience handling similar cases, you may want to look at specialized Rochester law firms. For instance, if you want help with a medical malpractice case, looking for law firms that only handle this very specialized kind of law can make it more likely that you will get a larger jury award or settlement.

Once you have decided what type of Rochester law firm will be right for you, you can search for Rochester law firms with confidence. Your searches will be more narrowly tailored to fit your needs, and you are much more likely to be able to narrow your search to just a few Rochester law firms to visit and compare.