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Legal advice can be complex. To avoid unnecessary confusion and protect yourself from unintended legal advice from third-parties who attempt to provide it, only licensed attorneys who establish an attorney-client relationship with you can give legal advice that meets legal standards; any advice given from others without an established attorney-client relationship would constitute the unauthorized practice of law.

Avvo is an excellent online directory of attorneys where you can seek legal advice quickly. Submit any query through their Q&A board and have it answered within hours!

Online attorney databases

Online attorney databases offer lawyers an abundance of legal information. Common examples are case law, statutes, administrative rulings and legal newspapers/journals – using the right search method can quickly help lawyers locate what they’re searching for; more reliable than free internet content because editors and publishers screen it beforehand; some databases offer low subscription costs while others may require subscription fees to access all its features.

An effective research plan is an integral component of any legal matter. Formulating one can make the research process more efficient and accurate for newcomers or lawyers exploring unfamiliar practice areas; additionally it can save time searching unnecessary databases while simultaneously relieving users of any frustration caused by retrieving information themselves. There are various approaches for creating such plans including writing down topics with keywords for each subject matter or using search engines with Boolean connectors to do it automatically.

Court decisions provide some of the most useful information. Legal research databases contain copies of old and current state and federal cases from around the country that serve as a great way to research a particular issue, determine its current state or assess an opposing attorney’s track record.

LexisNexis is widely considered the premier legal research database, offering subscribers access to an expansive collection of case law and primary sources, updated daily. LexisNexis also includes citation services which help users better understand the context of cases they come across – most popularly Shepard’s, although other similar offerings can also be found within its service offerings.

Westlaw offers similar legal information subscription services. However, unlike LexisNexis, Westlaw contains both international and domestic material; including articles from law reviews and journals as secondary source material.

For access to federal court documents, PACER provides an affordable way for you to download records from various federal appellate and bankruptcy courts. However, the fee associated with downloading these documents may be high.

Online lawyer reviews

Online reviews are becoming an integral component of all industries, and law firms in particular. People rely on them to determine whether they trust a company and want to spend money with it; even when potential clients are referred by friends, they will often conduct their own search to read reviews and gather additional information about the firm.

Lawyers should make use of attorney review sites to generate referrals and new clients. A well-written bio that showcases your experience and expertise is key, along with client testimonials and links to your website, social media channels or blog. Adding professional headshot photography will add even greater appeal.

Making it as effortless for clients to leave feedback is the key to increasing reviews for any law firm. A firm should offer multiple ways for customers to submit feedback – email, phone calls and texts are just three. In addition to lawyer review sites like Yelp or Google Reviews, firms should encourage clients to write reviews on social media such as Facebook.

As part of your marketing plan, it’s advisable to obtain listings on respected lawyer-specific directories like Martindale-Hubbell and NOLO. These websites enable prospective clients to access peer and client ratings as well as contact attorneys directly; in addition, these directories feature articles about your areas of practice or specialization.

Lawyers should regularly monitor their reviews to ensure accuracy. Without new reviews from clients, Google may assume your firm is no longer active and rank it lower in searches; so law firms should aim for new reviews every two weeks at minimum.

Referrals from friends and family

When in need of legal advice, friends or family may offer their suggestions; however, only licensed attorneys are legally qualified to give legal advice rather than just information. It is illegal for non-lawyers to dispense legal information without being licensed themselves.

There are various online resources that offer legal advice, with many offering free consultations with qualified attorneys. One such popular platform is Avvo’s Q&A board; here, users can post questions and get responses within hours from an attorney in their area – though be wary when posting questions as the answers on Avvo are public and do not constitute an attorney-client relationship.

As another way of finding legal assistance, your local bar association often has a lawyer referral service with attorneys experienced in your type of case. Some state courts also offer self-help centers which enable people to represent themselves without legal assistance in court through workshops, informational materials and assistance with forms. For more information visit ABA’s Find Legal Help resources.

Other online services that can assist in finding an attorney include Rocket Lawyer and FindLaw, both of which offer basic legal advice at no cost, although not as comprehensively as Avvo. LegalZoom also provides online forms and guides on how to address common legal matters such as forming an LLC and filing bankruptcy.

If you cannot afford private legal help, community groups and social organizations may provide free or low-cost legal help. New York City provides numerous legal aid programs which may assist with your legal issues; these are funded by Legal Services Corporation which supports these locally based programs for people with low incomes.

Searching for a lawyer on LinkedIn

LinkedIn provides lawyers with an ideal way to market themselves and find potential clients. By creating both personal and firm pages on LinkedIn, lawyers can utilize this tool effectively in marketing themselves and finding potential clients. But in order to reap its full potential benefits you must remain active; create engaging content, engage with your audience, update regularly your profile with relevant details that help potential clients locate you and understand what services you provide.

Your law practice can benefit from using LinkedIn to promote itself by posting blogs, pinning news articles and other material, using its social media tools and finding your target audience’s interests to share relevant articles with. Doing this will increase visibility and engagement, while LinkedIn’s Featured section can highlight articles that fit with your ethos and ideals.

Your LinkedIn profile should provide a concise account of your legal expertise and experience, which will give clients confidence while setting you apart from competition. Where possible, try including keywords in both headline and description to increase search engine optimization (SEO) and bring more potential clients your way.

Under Experience, it is important to provide details about past employment including positions held and responsibilities held. Also highlight any skills gained throughout your career as well as certifications or licenses obtained throughout your journey. Finally, education should also be included so potential clients can see exactly which schooling you have received.

Establishing and updating their LinkedIn profiles are an integral component of law practice for attorneys seeking credibility and leadership positions in their fields. LinkedIn offers many features designed to assist professionals in connecting with others on its platform, including an advanced search bar which makes finding information and resources easier than ever.

LinkedIn can be an invaluable networking tool, particularly for attorneys. Search by location, job title, industry and education as well as budget for ads that allow bids to adjust in response to performance.