One of the most difficult decisions, people with legal problems face, is choosing a lawyer. Many choose a lawyer based on what they read or hear in an advertisement. But remember, no ad can effectively guide you to the proper attorney.

• You should find out if your attorney handles jury trials. If your attorney hasn’t tried a jury trial for 10 or 20 years, you may not want him to champion your cause.
• Find out if he or she is a successful attorney. Ask what sorts of verdicts has he gotten in the last 5 to 10 years.
• Most people are unaware that attorneys are rated by an organization known as Martindale-Hubbell.

Lawsuits are serious and oftentimes life-changing endeavors. A little research, prior to hiring an attorney, may be critical to your success.

In a lawsuit by an employee claiming “disparate impact,” an employer can be held liable on the basis of an employment practice that has a disproportionate and adverse effect on the prospects of a protected group. In order for the employee to be successful, the employment practice must also lack a sufficiently strong justification.

In Smith v. City of Jackson the United States Supreme Court was asked to decide whether the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) authorizes such “disparate impact” suits against employers. The ADEA serves to protect employees who are forty years of age and older from discrimination based on their age. The disparate impact claim had long-ago been recognized under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on an individual’s status as relates to race, gender, religion or national origin. However, until the Smith opinion, the Court had not determined whether such “disparate impact” claims were allowed under the ADEA.

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