Hiring Outside Counsel

When it comes to litigation, the best option is to hire outside counsel as needed. That way, you can select the degree of expertise you require for a particular case. For example, if you face a trademark dispute, you need a very different skill set than for a patent litigation.

When hiring an outside firm, you want experience in that particular area of law, a history with the court in which the suit has been filed, and a degree of responsiveness that meets your needs.

Here's the roadmap: determine where the dispute has arisen, then determine the area of law the dispute primarily concerns, then find counsel in that area and ask them to call you about a pending suit. If you don't hear from them quickly, they likely won't be as responsive as you need them to be when the dispute shifts into high gear.

Good luck!