Enlisting the aid of a lawyer is an inevitable part of everyday life. Sometimes this can pose a series of questions and leave people unsure, because not everybody can boast of having a law firm on retainer. This can become a huge roadblock, especially if you really need a lawyer but not had a need for one in the past.

When finding a good lawyer, you need to do your homework, and this involves going around town to talk to different law firms and asking them all sorts of questions, then separating the wheat from the chaff. A waste of time and money indeed. Instead, you may consider choosing a lawyer online, but before finding legal services on the 'net, you have to take note of a few key things to make an informed decision.

The benefits of using the internet to find legal services include:

No longer do you have to spend on gasoline and manually pick out the best law firm after a long and tiring selection process - the Internet allows you the convenience to do your research at home.

You don't have to take time off work to visit different law firms until you are sure of the one you want to use

You don't have to get dressed up for meetings and be intimidated by the 'suits'

There is no obligation to hire an attorney because you are sitting opposite them - it is easier to make a rational decision when you are not meeting them personally

You can quickly compare services and often costs as well.

If there are pros, then there are also cons involved in choosing legal services online, including:

You have no way of checking a lawyer's reputation and reliability online, and may become a victim of fraud

This is an option that leaves you with no opportunity to meet your attorney in person before you hire him/her, and it is always good to spend time with your lawyer and make sure you get on his/her good side well before the proceedings.

With more choices comes more confusion, so this can also be time-consuming after all if you're not used to researching online.

You can overcome these disadvantages by drawing up a shortlist of lawyers from your online research, and arranging to meet them in person. Ask for references to gauge how reliable and successful the lawyer or law firm is. Sometimes family and friends may be able to refer you to a law firm that you can research online too. Finally, make sure that the lawyer you hire specializes in the type of law your case involves - you don't want a tax attorney handling your divorce!