Certain forms of advertising are prohibited. If you feel a lawyer or law firm has approached you in an inappropriate fashion, you may wish to contact your local law society for assistance. Inappropriate advertising aside, advertising allows a lawyer to indicate the areas of law in which he or she will accept work. Telephone or on-line directories may be of assistance. Friends may also be helpful in directing you to a competent lawyer.
Law societies in most jurisdictions often have a referral network as well.
How quickly you need a lawyer has the greatest impact on the selection process. Urgency may not only reduce the quality of your choice and the corresponding results obtained, but rush legal services are often significantly more expensive. The single most important factor in obtaining the lawyer that is best for you is the time available to select him or her. Thus, it would be best to look for your lawyer before the services are absolutely required. Lawyers mostly bill by time or flat fee.