Expert Advice When You Need It Most
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Ask for a ReferralThe oldest method to locate an attorney remains the best way for many as they feel most comfortable when a trusted advisor like an attorney is referred by someone they trust. However, unlike more well-known areas of law like family law or trusts and estates, many individuals you ask will not have a trusted referral source for a securities law attorney. This makes the sources to locate an experienced attorney, other than a referral, that much more important for corporate securities law. Additionally, even if you get a referral, you may only get one in this field, or the attorney may not have experience in your transaction, or you may not feel comfortable with that attorney. This guide provides you with other methods to locate a corporate securities attorney. 2
Attend Local Business Organization MeetingsIf you are like most people and you do not have a trusted person you can ask that knows an experienced corporate securities attorney or you want more options than the referrals you receive, then attend some local business organization meetings, like your local Chamber of Commerce and ask other attendees. There is a very good chance you will either come across a few business owners that have an attorney they trust and like, or you might actually meet a few attorneys with experience in securities law. The Chamber of Commerce is just one example. To find others that may be active in your area use a search engine like Google or Yahoo and do a targeted search for local business organizations in your city or county. 3
Search on AvvoAvvo (www.avvo.com) was created to help consumers navigate the complex legal industry and to assist them in finding and choosing an attorney. This is the primary consumer website for locating an attorney in any area of practice. Avvo has already completed most of the work for the consumer, including searching state bar disciplinary records. Additionally, the site allows for clients to rate their attorney and for attorneys to offer endorsements of other attorneys. Avvo also provides ratings for each attorney and attorneys are able to provide practice areas, experience, articles written, etc., which allows many consumers to use this as a one-stop shop. To search on Avvo click the "Lawyers" button on the "Search for" bar and input your search terms. As good as Avvo is, you need to use the correct search terms. Using "Corporate Law" will likely bring up too many attorneys, many of which will not have experience in securities law; instead use the search term "Securities Offerings." 4
Search on LinkedInLinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is an interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world with over 42 million members in more than 200 countries around the world. Although it is more of a networking site for professionals and not directed to consumers or limited to only attorneys like Avvo, Linkedin is a good source of information on attorneys that have LinkedIn profiles. Additionally, if you have a LinkedIn account you may be able to get a referral or an introduction to a securities law attorney through one of your LinkedIn "connections." In order to use LinkedIn it helps if you already have the name of a potential attorney; however, if you do not, under the "Search People" area input "Corporate Securities Attorney" and it will display professionals with those terms in their profile. 5
Search on PlaxoPlaxo (www.plaxo.com) is more of a social networking site than either Avvo or LinkedIn, kind of a mix between Facebook and LinkedIn, but it can still provide good information on attorneys that have Plaxo profiles. In order to use Plaxo to find a profile you will need to know the potential attorney's name in order to locate their profile so this source is best used after you have located a few potential attorneys. 6
Search on State Bar WebsitesAlmost every state has a website for its state bar and its membership. Most state bar websites are limited in the information they provide, but it is always good to search for any attorney you are considering to ensure they do not have any disciplinary actions and for up-to-date contact information. 7
Search Local Business Magazines or NewspapersMany local business magazines or newspapers have an online component and many publish some type of legal section, like a Law Guide or Attorney Guide. [Note: Sometimes these legal guides or sections are not published each month and they may only be published quarterly or annually so you may need to search the website for the legal guide.] These are a good place to look for local attorneys but the guides are not always easy to find. 8
Search Major Search EnginesI do not recommend using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo as a first search method to locate a corporate securities attorney as this is akin to utilizing the Yellow Pages in the times before the Internet. The results you get are random and only as good as the search terms you use. Also, firms can pay to be placed higher in the search results, etc., so the results may not be as objective as you would like. However, after you have located a few specific attorneys using the above methods, you should search for those attorneys utilizing a search engine to see if you can find any additional information regarding either the attorney, or their law firm, prior to deciding to contact the attorney. However, do not be surprised if the search does not yield much new information since the websites recommended above will likely have provided more detailed information, and you may not even locate the attorney at all in a random search, or there may be multiple attorneys with the same name. Additional Resources- After reading this Guide, read the Guide entitled "How to Choose a Corporate Securities Attorney" on this website for assistance in choosing between the attorneys you locate using this Guide.
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