We suggested in our article that you Google your prospective attorney to ascertain just how much real life courtroom experience he/she has had.  Be aware that some lawyers employ somewhat misleading practices on their own websites.  Some will list cases in which they purportedly represented a client.  All copyright cases are federal cases and therefore virtually all of them are accessible on line. That means you can easily check them out.  Many attorneys list cases that have no relevance to intellectual property issues or more importantly, are matters that never went to trial.

As soon as some state and all federal cases is/are filed an “official” docket or index number is assigned to it by the Court.  If the case was settled or dismissed short of a trial, the court records will so indicate.  95% of all cases are settled. So an attorney merely listing say, a dozen cases complete with docket numbers tells you the reader, nothing. Ask, inquire and do your research. Find out if your “lawyer to be” tried the case to a verdict.  Was your candidate the lead attorney who actually tried most or all of the case or was he/she a young lawyer whose chief responsibility was schlepping boxes of documents or carrying attaché cases for others.  These days you can check on the credentials of baseball players, actors or authors in a heartbeat.  When it comes to a lawyer’s actual track record you need dig a little deeper.

Edward Greenberg