Published on August 21st, 2020 | by Bibhuranjan

3 Reasons to work with a local attorney if you live in a small town

It is nearly impossible to turn on a television, or tune into your favorite podcast without running across a barrage of commercials from large law firms. They advertise that they can handle any and everything you could possibly need from a legal standpoint. In addition, you will see paid spokespersons praising the legal ranges of the team of lawyers in the practice highlighted in the advertisement, and sometimes the commercials feature the attorneys themselves promoting their experience and boasting about the millions of dollars in settlements they have gotten for their clients. Anyone who is in a situation where they need an attorney, is looking for the best, and oftentimes people choose to seek the council of one of the law firms they saw on television. Some quickly discover after they have hired an attorney they found on television that their experience is nowhere near what was advertised. Here are several good reasons to consider hiring a local attorney if you live in a small town.

Convenient and Less Stressful

Attorneys who work in larger law offices are generally some distance away from smaller towns. Distance can place an additional burden on people who are already stressed. Local attorneys are convenient because they are right there where you are. When your attorney is local you also have more flexibility than you would have if you hired an attorney that was in a nearby municipality.

There are a lot of moving parts involved when an attorney is preparing a case, and sometimes clients are required to make multiple trips to their offices to sign documents, or look over paperwork to confirm that the information to be filed with the courts is accurate and true. If your attorney is local you could go into their office to take care of matters such as these on a lunch break. Just stopping by a law office for the five minutes or so it would take to sign a document would be much more difficult if you had to travel in traffic during your lunch hour.

Continuity Matters

Continuity is important when legal matters arise, however that is not something you are going to find in a larger law firm. Finding the right attorney can be a challenge. You have to find someone who you feel comfortable with to be able to move forward with your case. Sometimes when people choose attorneys outside of their local communities, they are often placed into a situation where they have more than one attorney working on their case. Besides the fact that it is exhausting having to repeat the same thing over and over again to multiple people, you could be forced to work with a lawyer you just don’t feel comfortable with.

Choosing the right attorney is half of the battle when you have to deal with legal matters. If you are working with a team of attorneys, and one of them makes you feel uncomfortable about asking questions, or they fail to engage their active listening skills during your interactions with them, that in and of itself sews seeds of discord among you and your legal team. Working with a local law practice like Reiders Travis for example, ensures that you will work with the same attorney throughout your case.

Local Attorneys Know People

Familiarity is an asset when you have to go to court for a legal proceeding. Sometimes people who live in small towns or in rural areas will seek legal counsel outside of their local area because they make the assumption that the lawyers in their town might not be as good as attorneys who work in larger cities and larger offices. The fact is, local attorneys have the same knowledge and skills as those who work in larger law practices. In addition to that, local attorneys have an advantage in the courtroom over those who come into another area to represent a client.

Local attorneys have a good grasp of the geographical areas they practice in. They know the people, but most importantly they know members of the law enforcement community, they know the law clerks, the judges and other attorneys. There is an excellent chance that a local attorney will know the opposing counsel in your case. This is a huge advantage, because this affords your attorney prior knowledge of how their opponent behaves in court. They have insight into their strengths and their weaknesses, and this gives them a greater opportunity to formulate a solid strategy for how to present your case in court.

It is also important to note that no two courtrooms are the same. There are federal, state and county ordinances which have to be followed, but there are also city and town ordinances that come into play as well. Each judge has their own way of presiding over proceedings in their courtrooms. Local attorneys have the advantage of being heard by local judges before. A lawyer that understands the practices of the judge and the court they’re in understands the rules that govern the courts and avoid offending the presiding judge.

Just remember that when you are choosing an attorney to represent you, you need to make sure you choose one who is going to be willing to accommodate you and your needs. If you have questions, your attorney should be willing to answer them for you without making you feel belittled or uncomfortable. Local attorneys are known in their communities, and generally have a reputation that precedes them. In many cases, a local attorney has represented someone you know.

Tags: attorney, lawyer, legal counsellor

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.