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{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}By a "good" lawyer, we usually mean one that knows what he or she is doing, has experience dealing with the relevant areas of law, communicates welleffectively, is efficient and affordable, and will work hard for his or her client. The [[Resource Guide]] describes several legal services that provide information and assistance and some limited advice and representation, but you really can't beat full representation by a lawyer or legally supervised advocate.
== First steps ==
If you do not know a lawyer who can help you:
# See if you qualify for legal aid representation: people with low incomes who are facing serious criminal, family or immigration issues may qualify for legal aid. If you qualify for legal aid, the Legal Services Society will appoint a lawyer for themyou. For information on applying for legal aid representation, see [[Legal Aid Representation|Legal aid representation]] in the Resource Guide.
# Speak with friends or helping professionals who have worked with lawyers recently, and see if they can recommend someone.
# Contact the Lawyer Referral Service and ask for the names of lawyers near you who practice the type of law you need (see [[Lawyer Referral Service]] in the Resource Guide).
{{Tipsbox
| width = 75%
| tips = Most lawyers specialize, so it is useful to get a lawyer who practices in the area of law that covers your legal problem. Also, non-lawyer advocates (within their areas of experience, such as welfare or tenancy) may be more as knowledgeable than as many lawyers.
}}