Define your problem carefully before considering hiring a lawyer.

Start with the basics: “Do I need a lawyer?”. Sometimes it’s easy to know if you need to find an attorney. If you’ve been charged with a crime, been served with a lawsuit, or need a divorce — a lawyer is exactly what you need. Lawyers, however, aren’t just for criminals or those in litigation. Qualified attorneys — like those at LegalMatch — can also provide advice and knowledge to people who just need to talk to an expert.

A skilled lawyer’s advice can help you understand the complex rules associated with business negotiations and partnerships, estate planning, adoption, will and trust drafting, tax strategies and much more.

Lawyers improve their clients’ quality of life by protecting them from situations that might later bring emotional and financial hardship. A good, high-quality lawyer is there to help those in trouble now and those who want to avoid trouble in the future. You can begin your search for legal help by presenting your case to LegalMatch, where qualified lawyers can review your situation and help you to resolve it. Finding a lawyer is fast, free and confidential at LegalMatch.

Ask yourself, and others, if it is possible and prudent to solve your own problem.

In many cases, you may be able to solve your problem without an attorney’s help. If a company has wronged you, see if it has a customer service department. Often, a complaint can be settled to your satisfaction without having to find a lawyer. You may also want to contact the consumer protection department at your state attorney general offices.

If a regulated industry (like a bank or insurance company) has wronged you, there is a state-run agency in charge of watching that industry that you can contact. The agency may be able to deal with the problem on your behalf. Community groups might also be able to offer you free advice on these types of legal matters.

On the other hand, sometimes a lawyer’s advice can be well worth the money. A lawyer can help ensure that you contact the right people first, and that you don’t do something that will hurt your case later. LegalMatch makes finding the right lawyer easier than ever.

Determine the immediacy of your situation.

If you’ve been accused of a crime or find yourself the defendant in a legal suit, contact a lawyer immediately.

Avoid delay in seeking legal counsel if you’ve been injured and plan to pursue your rights. Waiting several months could jeopardize your right to seek relief.

Even if you are thinking about legal help merely to avoid problems in the future, it’s never too early to begin your legal search. For example, tax strategies, corporate and employment law advice, and estate planning shouldn’t be put off for too long. Putting legal matters on the back burner might cost you more in the end.

When you decide to act, when you’ve comprehensively answered that “Do I need a lawyer?” question, LegalMatch is there to make finding the right lawyer fast, safe, and secure. At LegalMatch, you can confidentially present your case on-line for lawyers to review, and then evaluate lawyer responses, credentials, and experience at a speed you’re comfortable with.