What to check when you choose a lawyer

Why did we write these guides?

Most people face a legal matter for the first time, so the first obstacle is knowing which lawyer to see. Search results mix advertising with reviews, and it is hard to tell what to trust. We therefore set out, field by field, checks you can use at any law office. The guides do not compare or rate other offices. They only describe methods anyone can use directly, such as the Korean Bar Association (KBA) lawyer search and the court websites. Statutes and regulations are quoted only to the extent we have checked the provisions.

How should I read them?

If you already know the field of your case, start with the guide for that field below. Each guide follows the same order: a table of checks, questions to ask at the consultation, and warning signs to avoid. If you want to know what the word "specialist" in an advertisement means, read the specialization registration system. If your consultation is already booked, read what to bring to a consultation. Cases in Changwon and Gyeongnam are split among several courts, so there is a separate guide for Changwon. Information about Yulmaru appears only in the last section of each guide.

More in this area

• Choosing CriminalHow to choose a criminal lawyer in Busan: five checks and how to verify them, questions to ask, warning signs, and Busan District Court jurisdiction.
• Choosing DivorceHow to choose a divorce lawyer in Busan: five checks and how to verify them, questions to ask, warning signs, Busan Family Court jurisdiction and procedures.
• Choosing RehabilitationHow to choose a rehabilitation lawyer in Busan: five checks for individual rehabilitation, questions, warning signs and Busan Bankruptcy Court jurisdiction.
• Choosing School ViolenceChoosing a school violence lawyer in Busan: five checks and how to verify them, consultation questions, warning signs, and the committee and appeal procedures.
• Choosing in ChangwonHow to choose a lawyer in Changwon: check the competent court (the main court or one of five branches), the lawyer in charge, questions to ask, warning signs.
• Specialization RegistrationHow to verify a specialist lawyer in Korea: KBA specialization registration, its fields, rules on the "specialist" label, and how to check it yourself.
• Before ConsultingWhat to bring to a lawyer consultation: common items, documents for criminal, divorce, rehabilitation, school violence and civil cases, and a timeline note.