How do I find a lawyer who will actually move forward?

[isis297]

What is the name of your state? NY

Over the summer last year I begin searching for an attorney who would create some contracts for my boss who is a general contractor. I have hit a brick wall after brick wall. Either I do not get a call back or one lawyer went as far as to send me a basic contract as a starting point and then when I reached out to move forward he just stopped responding and eventually the receptionist said that their office got too busy.

Currently we use AIA for our residential contracts, but my boss wants something that we can just edit the specifics to the client in a contract that is ours to use in Word. There are other documents he needs but that is the most pressing one.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[quincy]

The way to find an attorney is to seek recommendations from those you know or to call and personally interview several attorneys. You could start with a New York Bar search for attorneys who practice in your area.

There are few shortcuts to finding an attorney.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

The lawyers may be concerned that your future editing will screw up the contract.

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to the New York State Bar Association, Public Resources:
http://www.nysba.org/PublicResources/

 

[adjusterjack]

Did you offer money?

 

[quincy]

Did you offer money?

Money is the fuel that makes lawyers move forward.

 

[LdiJ]

I think that the problem is that providing a template for contracts just isn't worth an attorneys time. They cannot charge enough to make it worthwhile.

You might want to look at Legal Zoom or other websites like that if you are looking for a template. Or, even spend the money to have an attorney draw up an actual contract for an actual client and then use that contract as your template.

However, if you are going to do that you have to be very careful the someone fully reads every contract that you produce from the template to make sure that there are no mistakes carried forward from previous contracts. That is a classic mistake that happens.

 

[isis297]

I appreciate the advice. Yes we knew it would cost and I let them know up front that there were about 5 different documents my boss was going to need so it wouldn't even be just a one and done document.

I don't see how us editing a document we pay for is any different than us making changes to the AIA contract templates. The information that changes is simply the clients' info, the start dates/end dates, payment details, contract amounts, if there are attachments/drawings, and if there are allowances.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Money is the fuel that makes lawyers move forward.

That and root beer. Or Dr. Pepper. Both are great fuel.

 

[isis297]

Can anybody here help me? We'll pay! And I'll have Root Beer and Dr Pepper sent to whomever helps me!!