See if they can "talk shop' without charging you for their time.

See if your personalities mesh.

GeneralJist said:
See if they can "talk shop' without charging you for their time.

Any good lawyer will listen to your description of your situation and tell you whether or not they have the experience to help you. And not charge you for that initial exploratory meeting or call.

Thaumaturge said:

Is it important that they be in my country? (To be clear, I'm not in America; I'm in South Africa.) That they be nearby me?

Different countries have different laws. If you're in South Africa, then you'll probably want a lawyer who knows South African law, which is usually but not always a South African lawyer.

If you want to enter into a business relationship with an American company, then some familiarity with American law wouldn't hurt either, but it's probably easier to find a South African lawyer familiar with the relevant American laws than an American lawyer familiar with the relevant South African laws.

rampeer said:
Ouch. I don't feel that good about indie game dev anymore.

Hahah, no, this is standard stuff! Looking at contracts, advice regarding IP rights, that sort of thing!

Tom Sloper said:
My assumption (unwarranted) was that there was a contract matter - either an opportunity or a problem.

There are a few things that I want to discuss with them (i.e. not just one thing), but you have the right basic idea!

frob said:
If you're successful you'll be talking to multiple lawyers. …

A little intimidating! ^^;

But--I also feel that a decent lawyer would likely be able to point me in the right direction should things come up outside of their bailiwick, so finding a decent lawyer who knows about my most immediate concerns seems like a good way to start, I feel.

frob said:
Talk to a few, learn about their prices and services and areas of expertise, learn about where their offices are, if they're likely to be in business in 20 years.

I suppose that part of my uncertainty here is that I really don't feel that I know what to ask, and what to look for--or look out for. This is my first time dealing to a great degree with lawyers (barring a brief experience of dealing with a lawyer regarding a potential book-writing contract), so I feel a bit adrift.

Maybe I'm being anxious over nothing, maybe I'm not--I don't have the experience to determine that with confidence.

For what it's worth, I'm not sure that there are other firms than that one that specialise in video-game law within my province--at least not that I've found. Others that handle “entertainment” or “information technology” law, but not “video games”, specifically. But it may be worth talking to them anyway to check…

[edit]

Update: In further searching, I think that I've found a second firm! (And, at least to go by its website, it does look good!)

[/edit]

frob said:
… if they're likely to be in business in 20 years.

I mean, I have no idea of how to determine that… ^^;

Tom Sloper said:
Any good lawyer will listen to your description of your situation and tell you whether or not they have the experience to help you. And not charge you for that initial exploratory meeting or call.

Yup--this is indeed my impression!

a light breeze said:
If you want to enter into a business relationship with an American company, then some familiarity with American law wouldn't hurt either, but it's probably easier to find a South African lawyer familiar with the relevant American laws than an American lawyer familiar with the relevant South African laws.

This is indeed my thinking. (Well, that and the simple fact that, if a face-to-face meeting is for some reason called for, it's no great hardship to get to them.)

*Phew!\* Thank you all for your advice! ^_^