From time to time I see inquiries from attorneys on various listservs looking for investigators from out of state and sometimes from out of the country.
Hiring an investigator you don’t know can be tricky and fraught with danger. Going to the yellow pages or the internet is dangerous. Even more so when you are trying to deal with someone outside of the country. Out of country investigations are especially problematic. Language and customs are always a concern as well as regulations in each country. It is easy to get ripped off if you are not careful and don’t know who you are dealing with.
Unfortunately, private investigation draws its share of inexperienced, unethical and just plain incompetent people. Don’t be fooled by slick webpages and advertising. Remember, once you hire these people they are acting as your agents and their conduct could affect your law license.
I belong to several national and international investigative organizations. Those organizations include The Council of International Investigators (CII), the National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI) and Intellenet. NALI is comprised of investigators whose practice is limited to personal injury and criminal defense, while Intellenet and CII members do a broad range of investigations. The members of all of these organizations have been vetted and are experienced in their fields. While I cannot vouch for each member, these organizations are a good start.
The next time you need an investigator out of state or out of the country, don’t just do an internet search or phone book search. Call me; I will gladly try and put you in touch with an experienced investigator—free of charge. This is a service I provide to all my clients.