If an organisation is in a situation where it needs to deal with legal knowledge, sound analysis and proper business sense, it is important to engage the services of an attorney who can play the role of "business advisor". In fact, most experts agree that fostering relationships with specialized legal eagles is the key to successfully navigating issues which can hamper the economic growth of any organisations.
The question that needs to be asked now is "How do we go about finding this so-called specialized attorney?" It would be a folly to just flip the telephone directory and appoint the first lawyer that comes into view.
A good management practice is still by word-of-mouth recommendations - that's getting referrals from friends and colleagues. When requesting for their referrals, make very sure you tell them very clearly what you need solved and the kind of attorney you need.
Another way is to do an advanced search on the Internet. The websites that pops up every time you do a search, no matter what keywords or phrase you had typed into Google or Yahoo! do not mean that they are top class. It is possible that they are top class in terms of advertising only!
If your firm is in the healthcare business, it is wise to focus on getting a lawyer whose niche is healthcare law, meaning a healthcare attorney. Don't go for those "Jack of all trades, master of none" lawyers.
After some soul searching, if, for instance, you fancy law firms A, B and C, the next logical thing to do would be to go to review sites, forums and blogs to see what people have to say about A, B and C. Read testimonials too, but be careful because some testimonials are fakes.
If you can get hold of Speakers' Lists at academy meetings etc, it would come in very handy in your search for an attorney who is a perfect fit for your organization.
Do knock on the doors of the state attorney's office, relevant societies and Bar associations in your area and ask them whether they can give you referrals for the kind of lawyers you are looking for.
Yes, getting a good lawyer requires a lot of leg work but it will be worth it. If you simple grab any Tom, Dick and Harry that come along, you may live to regret it.