Trade secrets: 5 surprising resources to find reputable lawyers online
From addressing serious matters of school bullying and acrimonious employment disputes to dealing with online defamation, privacy infringement and submitting trademark applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, for varying reasons many of us sometimes need the skills of a knowledgeable, licensed attorney. But where can you find reputable lawyers online?
UpCounsel is one legal platform that lets users search for and connect with licensed attorneys according to your budget, much the way Priori and LawTrades connect legal teams to vetted counsel. If your needs don’t extend substantively beyond legal contract and document preparation, such as Non-Disclosure and LLC Operating Agreements, Rocket Law’s services may be the right service for your business.
However, if you are an individual and have legal casework that could affect your life and career and is requiring of the patience, time, and technical advice of a skilled attorney, it may be better to leave legal platforms to for-profit companies and deal one-to-one with a bar licensed lawyer who can give your case the attention it deserves. Most trademark, patent and appeals casework before examining attorneys at the United States Patent and Trademark Office will fall into this category.
1. Justia Lawyers Directory
The Justia nationwide lawyers directory is an important resource for connecting with experienced and low-cost legal professionals. In addition to being able to locate lawyers in your area, Justia also manages a valuable short list of available Legal Aid & Pro Bono services in every area and geo-locality, helping you narrow your search.
2. HostJane’s Legal Marketplace
Featuring attorneys offering low-cost freelance legal services in a range of categories including Family Law, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Estate Planning & Probate, Employment & Labor, Business & Corporate, Elder Law, and Real Estate, HostJane now offers experienced licensed attorneys who can tackle serious issues and cases remotely, including USPTO trademark applications, working with you via Skype, Zoom or messaging.
3. Best Lawyers
A peer-reviewed platform which according to Phillip Greer, CEO of Best Lawyers, accesses “information from marketing departments and clients, and … law firm leader surveys” to provide a database of the best legal talent, voted for by lawyers.
4. Super Lawyers
First and foremost, a respected legal ratings service operated by Thomas Reuters (same as FindLaw), Super Lawyers compiles and distributes a peer-reviewed magazine to ABA-accredited law schools of lawyers and law practices highlighted for outstanding achievement across 70 areas of practice from civil rights to Intellectual Property.
5. ABA’s Lawyer Referral Service
The American Bar Association offers a valuable referral service, while disclaimed with the pretext it is “not a surefire way to find the best lawyer”, it sure can protect you from unlicensed or disbarred attorneys because the referral services are safeguarded by competency requirements.
On its website, the ABA notes the best recommendation is from a “trusted friend, relative, or business associate” but for those of us who do not have that trust network available, the ABA’s Lawyer Referral Service is a good starting point in your search.
