subject: Why Choosing An Illinois Attorney To Represent You Is So Important [print this page] If you live in the Chicago area or other parts of Illinois and are trying to find a lawyer, you may not realize how important it is to find one who is local and who can represent you properly while you are in court. Choosing an Illinois attorney or Chicago attorneys has a number of advantages over choosing a lawyer from a national firm. Here are a few reasons why.
The first is that choosing one of the many Chicago attorneys available means that you are dealing with a lawyer who is licensed to practice law in your area. Many people do not realize that in order to practice in the United States, lawyers must have accreditation in each area where they may have clients. There are steps that can be taken in order for a lawyer to practice in different areas of the United States but generally, by choosing an Illinois attorney you know that they have the accreditation they need to legally represent you. If you are unsure whether the Chicago attorneys you are speaking to are, in fact, local and accredited in the Chicago area you may want to ask them to produce proof. If they are unable to prove that they are able to practice in Chicago or Illinois and that they are in good standing with the bar association in your area, you may want to select another Illinois attorney instead.
Another reason for picking Chicago attorneys or an Illinois attorney is that they may be more familiar with the background to your case than an attorney who is not from your area. If you are fighting for workers compensation, for example, an Illinois attorney may be familiar with the company you work or worked for, and may have background information on similar cases that may be able to help you get a favorable verdict. Lawyers who are not from the area may not be aware of information that needs to come to light at a trial in order to get you adequate compensation or defend yourself against a lawsuit that you have been served with.
Other reasons for picking an Illinois attorney or one of the Chicago attorneys living and practicing in your area are more practical. One is convenience. If you are dealing with Chicago attorneys they will not need to travel excessively for meetings or to gather information and file paperwork. This can help keep your legal fees lower since, if you are paying for your Illinois attorney to be on retainer, they will be charging you for travel expenses and the time and effort of filing paperwork and representing you in the courtroom.
You also want to be able to meet with your Illinois attorney without having to do so over the phone or drive a long distance to meet with them. This will also save you time and can make it easier for you to pass along information and ensure that you are able to meet with your Illinois attorney when it is necessary.
