Many people come to a point in their life where they need professional legal advice and finding someone to talk to can be a very scary and confusing process. The first step in looking for an attorney is locating someone who practices in the area you need representation. A good place to start is talking to family and friends to see if any of them have someone they can recommend. Social media is also a good way to find recommendations if you are comfortable with sharing your need for legal advice.
Another option is searching the internet using key words such as “Legal Services West Des Moines, Iowa” or “West Des Moines Iowa Law Firm” checking with organizations, such as the Iowa Bar Association. There are also various websites such as “The Unsecret Shopper” where you can get a more personal review like the one where our own Samantha Gronewald was featured a few years ago.
Once you locate an attorney you would like to meet with, you should start out by giving their office a call and asking a few questions. Explain why you need an attorney and ask questions about their costs, if they offer free consultations and what information you might need to bring to your first appointment. You don’t have to go in to great detail, but make sure they have a basic understanding of what your needs are, while at the same time you can get a feel for them and what they need from you. Sometimes just in talking to someone on the phone for a few minutes, you can figure out if this is an office or attorney you are comfortable working with or not and if it is, move forward with making an appointment to sit down and discuss your situation in greater detail.