Choose an injury lawyer by comparing what will actually affect your claim: who will do the work, whether the case stays with that firm, the written fee and cost terms, how you will be kept informed, and whether the lawyer can explain your claim's strengths and weaknesses in plain words. Montana's advertising rules help you read the ads, and the State Bar's directory lets you confirm a license. This page is part of the Decide section of our Montana Injury Claim Guide.
What Actually Matters When You Compare
- Who does the work. The lawyer you meet may not be the person who handles the file. Ask who will talk to the adjuster, prepare the demand, and appear in court if it comes to that.
- Whether the case stays. A firm can advertise a case type and then refer it out. Montana requires a lawyer who routinely refers a kind of matter to other lawyers to say so conspicuously (Rule 7.1(g)).
- Experience with your kind of claim. A lawyer may not advertise for a specific type of case in which they have neither experience nor competence (Rule 7.1(f)). Ask what issues they see in yours.
- The terms in writing. The percentage, the case costs, and what you owe if you lose must all be in a signed agreement (Rule 1.5(c)). Our article on how injury lawyers charge explains each term.
- Communication. Lawyers must keep clients reasonably informed (Rule 1.4). Pay attention to how quickly and clearly a firm responds before you hire it.
- Access. You will meet, review documents, and sign papers, and you may need to give a deposition. Ask where meetings happen and whether phone or video calls work when you cannot travel.
- Candor. A lawyer who tells you your claim is small, or that you may not need a lawyer at all, is giving you useful information. Our page on whether you need a lawyer explains when that is the honest answer.
How to Read Lawyer Advertising in Montana
Rule 7.1 of the Montana Rules of Professional Conductprohibits false or misleading communications about a lawyer's services, and it lists specific examples. Knowing them helps you tell information from salesmanship.
| If an ad shows | What Montana's rules require | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Results or settlement amounts | Must also say that past results are no guarantee of future results and that every case is different and must be judged on its own merits. | Rule 7.1(c) |
| Promises about what the lawyer will get you | A communication likely to create an unjustified expectation about results is misleading. | Rule 7.1(b) |
| "Better than other firms" | A comparison with other lawyers' services is misleading unless it can be factually substantiated. | Rule 7.1(e) |
| "Certified" in a field of law | Allowed only if an approved or ABA-accredited organization certified the lawyer, and the ad names that organization. | Rule 7.2(c) |
| Testimonials | A paid testimonial or endorsement must be conspicuously identified as paid. | Rule 7.1(h) |
| Actors and re-enactments | A simulated portrayal of a lawyer, client, victim, scene, or event must be conspicuously identified as a simulation. | Rule 7.1(i) |
| "No fee unless we recover" | Must also state conspicuously that the client may be responsible for costs or expenses, if that is the case. | Rule 7.1(k) |
| A case type the lawyer sends elsewhere | If the lawyer routinely refers that kind of matter to other lawyers, the ad must conspicuously say so. | Rule 7.1(g) |
Two more rules are easy to check. A lawyer's advertising must identify the jurisdictions where the lawyer is licensed to practice (Rule 7.1(l)), and every communication must include the name and contact information of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content (Rule 7.2(d)).
Results, Reviews, and Ratings
A large number in someone else's case tells you little about yours. Injuries, fault, and insurance coverage differ from one claim to the next, which is why Rule 7.1(c) requires any ad that announces results to say that past results afford no guarantee of future results and that every case is different. Reviews are more useful for a different question: what it was like to work with the firm. Read them for comments on communication and candor rather than outcomes.
Ratings and awards deserve the same question: who gave this, and for what? An honor in one area of law says nothing about a different one, and a rating sold to lawyers is not the same as a judgment by clients or courts. If an ad uses a testimonial that was paid for, Rule 7.1(h) requires it to say so conspicuously.
When a Lawyer Contacts You First
Rule 7.3(a) bars a lawyer from soliciting your case in person, by live telephone call, or by real-time electronic contact when a significant motive is the lawyer's financial gain, unless you are a lawyer or have a family, close personal, or prior professional relationship with them. Even written solicitation is off limits if you have said you do not want to be contacted, if it involves coercion, duress, or harassment, or if the lawyer should know your physical, emotional, or mental state keeps you from exercising reasonable judgment about hiring a lawyer (Rule 7.3(b)). A written or electronic solicitation sent to someone known to need help with a particular matter must say "Advertising Material" (Rule 7.3(c)).
Check the License
The State Bar of Montana's attorney directory lets you search a lawyer by name. The results list member types such as active, inactive, suspended, and disbarred, so you can confirm that the person is currently able to practice in Montana. A license tells you a lawyer may practice. It does not tell you how well they will handle your claim, which is what the first meeting is for. Complaints about a lawyer's conduct go to Montana's Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates possible misconduct.
Your Next Step
Once you have a short list, the first meeting is where you compare. Take our list of questions to ask an injury lawyer with you and ask each lawyer the same ones. A&M Law is a Missoula firm whose practice includes personal injury claims across Western Montana, and you are welcome to ask us every question on that list. Our client reviews page shows what clients have said about working with us.
This page explains Montana law in general as of the current Montana Rules of Professional Conduct. It is not legal advice about your situation.