The clergy abuse crisis has exposed a system that preyed on the most vulnerable members of our society. It also called attention to the need for all victims to have a strong advocate, whether it’s legal or otherwise. Whether you’re a victim yourself or someone trying to help someone else, here are some ways to find an attorney who can provide legal representation or advice during this time:

Get Your Thoughts Together

It can be hard to remember all the details of the abuse, especially if it happened long ago. Sometimes it helps to write down what you can remember in your own words so that you don’t forget anything important and so that you can read through all the facts later. You might also want to consider how coming forward about the abuse has affected your life since then and how it may affect your relationships with other people who were close to you at the time of the abuse.

To get started on this step, grab a pen and paper (or just use a Word document) and try writing down as much detail as possible about what happened each time priests accused of abuse in CT abused you or someone else. Think about what kind of mood they were in when they abused someone; did they seem angry or sad? Was there anything else going on at that time—did something happen in another part of their life? Note any details like these because they could help prove that clergy was abusing people even if he or she denies doing so later on.

Report The Abuse

The next step is to report the abuse. To do this, you have a few options:

• Report the abuse to the police. This involves filing a police report and talking with an officer about what happened.
• Report the abuse to another authority figure in your community or organization (e.g., a church official).
• If you’re uncomfortable with either of these options, consider reporting it anonymously by calling hotlines like Childhelp’s 24/7 hotline.

Consult A Lawyer

Next, you’ll want to consult a lawyer who is experienced in clergy abuse. You should ask about their success rate, fees, and experience with clergy abuse cases. You should also inquire about how they will communicate with you during the process and how long it will take to resolve your case.

If the attorney doesn’t seem knowledgeable or experienced enough for your needs, move on!

Research attorneys in your area who specialize in church abuse cases.

If you want to find the best clergy abuse attorney for your situation, the first step is to research attorneys in your area who specializes in these kinds of cases. You should also consider how much experience your potential attorney has with church abuse cases and how well they know the church where you were abused. For example, if you were abused at a large Catholic parish, it would be helpful if the attorney had experience working on similar cases involving Catholic churches. If possible, check out some lawyer reviews online as well—that way, you can see what other clients have said about their experiences working with specific attorneys.

Ask friends and family for recommendations.

When you’re looking for a lawyer to help you with clergy abuse, one of the best places to start is by asking friends and family for recommendations. If someone has had a positive experience with an attorney in the past, they’ll likely be able to tell you about it—and give you their contact information so that you can reach out directly.

Asking your parishioners for recommendations can also be helpful because many of them will have interacted with attorneys through their religious affiliations. If a congregation member has been mistreated by clergy or other employees within your church or organization, ask if they would recommend anyone in particular who could help them recover damages as part of their case. You may even want to consider advertising on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter as well. Many victims go online looking for help recovering from abuse at the hands of religious leaders, so this could lead directly to finding someone who specializes in cases similar to yours.

Call a law firm to discuss your case with an expert.

When you call a law firm, be prepared to discuss your case with an expert. You should get answers to the following questions:

• How long have they been representing clients in clergy abuse cases?
• What are their past successes in these kinds of cases?
• How will they handle my case, and what process will it go through?
• What can I expect from this process, including costs and timelines?

Conclusion

The first step in finding a lawyer is to get your thoughts together. Write down everything that happened, from when the abuse began until today. This will help you remember important details and provide evidence for your case. Next, report the abuse to the police or another authority figure, such as a church leader or school principal. Finally, consult an attorney who specializes in clergy abuse cases so they can begin building your case right away!