When you are facing a legal matter, you want to assure you have the best legal representation on your side to win your case. There is often the assumption when hiring an attorney that “bigger is better”—the bigger the city, the bigger the firm, the better the lawyer. But you can easily find strong representation right in your hometown, and doing so will likely give you a competitive edge in your case. If you’re deciding on legal counsel, below are a few points to consider about hiring locally. 

Benefits of Hiring a Local Attorney

1. Knowledge of the Local Legal Community

A great strength that an attorney can have is knowing their opponent. When you hire locally, your counsel is interwoven in the local legal community, and they have likely worked with the presiding judge as well as the opposing lawyer for your case in the past. With this experience, your lawyer will know their attitudes and habits and use them to your case’s advantage. Every court also has their quirks, which are easily navigated with an attorney with experience practicing there, and like any local, they will know key details about your specific town that non-local lawyers wouldn’t. These benefits can make or break a tough case simply by having a strategic edge. 

2. Accessibility

Proximity is key to building trust in your legal representation. A local attorney is physically present and available to you with a simple scheduled meeting at their office. An attorney from elsewhere will either have to drive far to get to you, you will have to drive to them, or you will only have phone calls or video chats to discuss your case. With the ability to meet in person, you will have the assurance that your lawyer is focused on building the best case on your behalf.

3. Cheaper Cost

With an attorney from out-of-town, their rate includes driving time, hotel costs, meals, and any other expenses needed to provide their legal services. A local lawyer’s fees will be much lower simply because they already live there and don’t need to expense anything additional to represent you. 

4. Investment in the Local Community

Your lawyer lives and spends their money in your town. By investing in them, they will, in turn, invest in your community through their day-to-day lives and by hiring locally for their business.

5. Equal Qualifications

A local attorney goes through the same procedures to be licensed as any other lawyer in the state. Whether from a powerhouse firm in the city or a local boutique firm, every lawyer will have a J.D. and a license from the state bar to practice. While there are many exceptional attorneys practicing in the larger cities in your state, odds are there’s a qualified lawyer right in your hometown as well, and you will find them by doing your share of research. 

When choosing legal representation, look for a firm with a proven record to handle serious legal matters. Patton & Hyder, PLLC, have over thirty collective years of experience serving the Crossville, TN, area in legal matters of any shape and size. Their attorneys pride themselves on their ability to provide top-notch representation in the toughest of cases and will fight for the best result. For more information about their legal services, visit their website or Facebook, and call their office today at (931) 787-1333 to schedule an appointment.