Where to Find Great Lawyers and Legal Advice in Eugene, Oregon

It would seem in a town like Eugene, with the Law School at the University of Oregon sitting squarely in our front yard, finding a great lawyer would be a cinch. But, in reality, if you open the current local phone book - you'll find pages and pages of dignified looking and impressive sounding names of attorneys and law firms. It can be incredibly overwhelming. If you don't happen to know of the world's greatest attorney, here's some advice on how to find one.

The most obvious place to start is to ask your friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. for a referral. If you need something simple like to update your will or draw up some other legal documents, this may be a fine enough way to find a decent lawyer. If you're looking for more of a specialist, however, it may take some more searching.

In Eugene, try the Chamber of Commerce at 1401 Willamette Street. You can call at 484-1314 or they do have a website (www.eugenechamber.com) and an email address if you're inclined to write in your request: http://info@eugenechamber.org
Another excellent source for attorney information and referral is the Oregon State Bar. They have an online referral service and some free information available on some legal topics. The web address is www.osbar.org or call 1-800-452-7636. They will give you referrals over the phone as well.

If you're looking for legal advice or information, you can also try the Legal Aid Service of Lane County, Inc. Call 342-6056 to get directions, hours of operations and find out if they can help answer your questions. You can also try We The People Forms and Services at 377 Coburg Rd. in Eugene (345-1128). This business provides documents, forms and some legal advice and services for much less than you would pay an attorney.

The Northwest Center for Justice is located at 1591 Willamette Street in downtown Eugene (344-9985) and the ACLU of Oregon has a Eugene Office too - call 345-6162 for information, hours and directions. You can also call the Oregon Advocacy Center at 1-800-452-1694 for legal information.

If you're into doing your own research, Eugene has a law library at both the University of Oregon and the Lane CountyCourthouse at the North East corner of 8th and Oak Street (682-4337).

If you have the time and the inclination, there is always the Eugene area phone book - attorneys are listed both alphabetically and by areas of specialty and services provided. This can be time-consuming, however, but you may want to narrow down your selection to a few and then call with your questions and see if you can set up a free interview/consultation. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org (503-226-3981) to research a particular attorney.

Although it may take a little time and investigation to find the right attorney, with the vast selection in Eugene, you should be able to find a great lawyer to meet your needs.