17. How can I find a lawyer to represent me?

If you do not know a lawyer, ask a friend, co-worker, employer or business associate to recommend one. You may want to ask if the lawyer has some experience in landlord/tenant law. Or call a local State Bar-certified lawyer referral service. Look in the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under "Attorney Referral Services," "Attorneys" or "Lawyers." The person who answers your call can make an appointment for you to see a lawyer. You will pay a small fee for the referral and may talk with the lawyer for about half an hour. Then, if you decide to hire the lawyer, make sure you understand what you will be paying for, how much it will cost and when you will be expected to pay your bill.

What if you do not have enough money to pay for legal advice? You may belong to a "legal insurance plan" that covers the kind of services you need. Or, if your income is very low, you may qualify for free or low-cost legal help. Check the white pages of your telephone directory for a legal services program such as a legal aid society in your county. You also can ask your county bar association if its State Bar-certified lawyer referral service offers free legal advice for low-income people or if it can direct you to a no-cost legal services organization.

For more information, see the State Bar's "How Can I Find and Hire the Right Lawyer?" pamphlet. For a copy of this or any other "Get the Legal Facts of Life" pamphlet, send a business-size self- addressed, stamped envelope with your request to State Bar Pamphlets, 555 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102-4498. To order bulk copies of the "Get the Legal Facts of Life" consumer information pamphlets, please call the State Bar of California's Office of Public Education at 415-561-8867. The purpose of this website is to provide general information on the law, which is subject to change. Content is derived from the State Bar of California Pamphlets: Http://www.calbar.org