The New Jersey State Library Law Section provides access to professional legal research resources such as the Lexis and Westlaw databases, New Jersey Practice Series, and numerous treatise on New Jersey specific legal topics such as the New Jersey Drunk Driving Laws. New Jersey State Library also provides access to general legal information such as Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law and Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law : Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions. Still, there will be times when you need or want to work with an attorney.
Per the New Jersey Courts:
“You have the right to represent yourself in court and are not required to be represented by attorney. If you can get a lawyer, however, it is a good idea to do so. New Jersey laws, the proofs necessary to present your case, and the procedural rules governing your case are complex. Since valuable claims or large judgments may be at stake, most litigants appearing in the Law Division, Civil Part have a lawyer.”
This Research Guide will provide information on hiring an attorney, finding discipline records, attorney ethics and discipline, filing grievance, fee disputes, and appealing a grievance decision.
There are many things to consider when searching for a lawyer.
Practice Area: The attorney you used (and loved) when buying your home, is probably not the attorney you will want to use if you are now facing non-real estate related legal issue. However, they might be a great source for getting a recommendation for an attorney that does specialize in the practice area you need.
Typical practice areas include Criminal, Tax Law, Personal Injury, Real Estate, Family, Trusts & Estates, and Employment.
In 1980, the New Jersey Supreme Court created the Board on Attorney Certification. This program is designed to help consumers make informed decisions when seeking and selecting a lawyer. It protects them from false advertising. It also helps build attorney competence in a specific area of the law.
Location: While any lawyer authorized to work in New Jersey can represent you, you may want to consider their location. There is more to the lawyer/client relationship. You may have to meet several times, you may need to deliver documents to the office, etc. In addition, most courts have local rules. An attorney working locally will likely know those rules, as well as the judges, prosecutors, and possibly the opposing counsel working in the court where your case is being heard. Every county in New Jersey has a Bar Association with a lawyer referral service which allows you to meet with an attorney for a reduced fee.
Communication: The biggest complaint we hear about attorneys is a lack of communication. As you are considering attorneys, think about--and ask about--how they will communicate with you; how quickly you can expect a response from them when you reach out; will other professionals working with them be communicating with you, etc. You will want to have a good, comfortable working relationship with your attorney. Will you feel comfortable disclosing detailed personal and sensitive information to this person? Do you like how they respond to your questions? Findlaw provides a list of questions to ask an attorney before hiring them.
The American Bar Association Consumers’ Guide to Legal Help : has an section dedicated to assisting the public in how to find a lawyer. This section uses a question/answer format, and many topics are covered. The topics include what to look for in an attorney, specialized practices, and where to look for an attorney (including their state by state referral service).
Once you have a few names to consider, it is worth doing some research even before you contact them.
Once you have determined the practice area, location and communication style you are interested in, you can begin to look for an attorney.
Don't under estimate the power of a recommendation
If you have worked with an attorney in a different practice area, they may be able to provide you with a recommendation for an attorney whose practice area meets your needs. Likewise, friends, family, and associates can all be good sources of information. Be sure to ask them what they liked about the attorney, what area of the law they specialize in, and how the attorney communicated with them. Many large employers offer Employee Assistance Programs that have a legal assistance component. Unions may also offer legal services and/or assistance to members. Check with your Employer or Union to see if such a service is available to you.
There are many organizations that can help you find the names of attorneys in the practice area you are interested.
The New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services: Every county in New Jersey has a County Bar Association that participates in a Lawyer Referral Service . This link goes to the list of each county, with a link to their referral service. Initial consultations can be as low as $35 for 30 minutes.
New Jersey Judiciary Attorney Search: You can use the Statewide Attorney Index to search for certified attorneys in your area..
The American Bar Association has a state by state referral service to assist you in finding attorneys in your state.
Legal Services of New Jersey : In addition to assistance with finding legal representation, they have a number of low or no cost digital publications about topics including divorce, landlord/tenant issues, foreclosure, and expunging criminal records.
Often people need to use an attorney, but are unable to afford one. There are some organizations that can help:
New Jersey Judiciary Pro Bono Portal: The New Jersey Judiciary has a web-based portal for finding pro bono representation. This is for criminal cases only.
Rutgers University Law School Clinics: Rutgers Law School offers numerous law clinics where law students, supervised by full-time Law School faculty, provide legal services and assistance to clients covering a wide range of topics including child advocacy, domestic violence, education, entrepreneurship, immigration, and intellectual property.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice : provides free legal services throughout New Jersey to economically disadvantaged adults, children, and families.
Seaton Hall Center for Legal Justice: Provides legal clinics where law students, supervised by full-time Law School faculty, provide legal services and assistance to financially disadvantaged clients in New Jersey.
There are times when your relationship with your lawyer may not be going the way you want it to go.
A common complaint we receive is that the lawyer is unresponsive. While Communications with clients is covered in the Rules of Professional Conduct, the rule is broad. Frustrated clients are usually looking for assistance on filing a grievance against their attorney with the Office of Attorney Ethics. While filing a grievance is one path that can be taken, keep in mind, it is a slow process and it will not compel your attorney to act and immediately get in touch.
While you may need to file a grievance at some point, there are things you can do before escalating to the level of a grievance:
If you do feel your attorney has acted unethically, there is a process in place for filing a grievance or settling a fee dispute. Check out our research guide on Attorney Ethics & Discipline for more information.
