My dad needs a lawyer and he’s fairly physically and mentally incapable of doing it himself because of his stroke, so the need to find one for him falls on me. I’ve never had to get a lawyer, so I don’t know the motions I’d need to go through to get a good one. Any advice?
Adam
The best way is to get recommendations from friends–but be sure to ask if that lawyer does the type of legal work your father needs done (i.e. a great real estate attorney may be lousy at personal injury).
Next, the State Bar Association may have a referral line. The caveat here is that any lawyer in good standing can be included in the recommendations, so other than insuring that you’ll get someone who pratices the right type of law, this can be pretty useless on its on.
Law clinics and legal aid will also sometimes give you a few names, and these are generally trustworthy because people that work for legal aid are soft-hearted and will really, really want to help you. Okay, maybe not, but they are usually more selective of who the recommend.
Talk to the lawyer yourself. A good lawyer will always be willing to give you at least a general fee structure (and a written fee agreement if she takes the case), as well as some idea of the time that this type of case normally takes, how filing fees and court costs are handled, what amount she requires for a retainer (if any), and general billing arrangements (nothing due until end of case, contingency, monthly payment, etc.) The lawyer may be willing to provide you with the names of some of her clients, as references (but don’t be put off if she refuses to do so, confidentiality is a big one for lawyers).
Depending on the type of legal work needed, you may want to ask how often she goes to court or settles out of court, how many cases she handles at one time, how long it takes to get an office appointment and her policy of telephone appointments (does she bill for every second on the phone, or allow some short conversations). Does she give personal attention, or is her paralegal or legal secretary the main contact for clients? (There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s best to know what to expect, that’s how to avoid complications). Does she work alone? If so, what kind of arrangements has she made in case she is unable to continue her cases? Many lawyers will do a short (15 to 30 minutes usually) consultation for free, or for a nominal fee. If so, take advantage of it and see if you feel comfortable with the person, how she interacts with your father and you, even how organized her office is. Trust your instincts at this point.
What Kallessa said.
In some states, lawyers can also be “certified specialists” in a certain area of the law – it requires additional knowledge and a test. Depending on what you’re looking for, there may be a certified specialist who can help. For my parents, finding them an estates and trusts lawyer (to do the will, etc.) was relatively simple, but I wanted a certified specialist because there were some small wrinkles in the intricacies of my parents’ estate.
So I would starte with friends and neighbors, people who work in parallel fields (doctors, maybe, if you’re looking for someone to assist with elder law issues). Get names from the bar association. Get a list of prospects, then interview them as you would any other vendor. If you don’t feel like you’re getting straight answers, or feel uncomfortable, move on to the next name on your list. Ask how they would handle your problem, have they done similar work before, how did it turn out, how long they estimate they would need to work on it, and billing rates. Just remember that someone with a higher billing rate may cost you less; that higher rate may indicate a greater expertise in the field, which means the work may get done faster and cheaper (and better).
Good luck!
Thank you both for your extensive and extremely helpful advice. 
Adam
Very good advice from the others.
But please, under no circumstances, ever hire a lawyer who advertises on late night television! Seriously.