I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE! WHAT DO I DO?
Once you have a list of names and telephone numbers, make the phone calls. Let’s assume that your particular problem is child custody and your ex wants to take the kids away because you are a Druid. Advise the receptionist that you have a child custody problem and that you believe religion will be a major issue in your case. Tell the receptionist that you wish to speak to an attorney in that particular office with expertise in child custody and that you were referred by the state and/or local bar association. If you were referred by someone else, you will want to mention that person. Referral sources are important to attorneys.
Once you have the attorney on the line, do not launch into a historical account of events. Do not launch into a long recitation of your religious beliefs and a pile of complaints about how discriminated against you are. Simply say that you have a matter involving child custody and that religion will be an issue because you are not a member of a mainstream religion. Advise the attorney that you would like to meet for a consultation.
Effective communication with lawyers is a big issue. Most people are in a state of panic when they call lawyers. They don’t know how to identify themselves properly on the phone, let alone coherently discuss their problem. I recommend that when you call, you identify yourself by name, by the town and county that you live in, and that you tell the office you are calling that you believe you may have a discrimination matter involving housing, employment, child custody, or whatever the case may be. For example, your opening salvo on the phone might sound like this: "Hello, my name is Joe Druid, and I live in the town of Celtria. I believe that I have an employment discrimination issue as I am being repeatedly harassed by my coworkers at work. I have informed my supervisor, but he is not doing anything. If your firm handles employment discrimination, I was wondering if I might come in for a consultation."
At this point, the attorney will probably ask you some questions involving your case, and she/he will probably ask you about your religion. At this stage in the game, it is critical that you are coherent about what you believe. For example, if the attorney asks you what a Druid is, you should be able to respond briefly, succinctly, and in a manner that sounds as benign as possible. For example, you might say: "A Druid is a person who practices a pre-Roman and pre-Christian form of Celtic religion that has been revived in the modern age. I belong to The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, which is a society with roots in the Ancient Druid Order that was founded in 1717 C.E. in England. My religious beliefs are sincere, and I have practiced this spirituality for X number of years. I can provide you with a reading list, Websites, and other source material regarding my spirituality." Advise him or her that you need an advocate who will proactively assert your position and your rights, and who is willing to educate them regarding your non-mainstream religion.
As an attorney, I can tell you that no attorney likes to be the last person to find something out. We want to be the first to know, and if there is a potential problem or trouble spot with a case, we want to know immediately. Therefore, the best thing for you to do is to advise any attorney with whom you are dealing that you believe you have a potential discrimination problem, that the discrimination is related to religion, and that you belong to a Pagan religion such as Wicca, the Asatrú, Druidry, and all the rest. However, you do not want to overwhelm the lawyer or sound like you have a few pentacles loose.
At this point, the attorney will probably make a decision about whether they will even interview you in the office. If the attorney agrees to see you, ask if the consultation is free. Also, make the necessary inquiries about the fees. Is there an up-front fee? Does the attorney charge by the hour? What is that charge? Will the attorney take the case on a contingent basis? If the costs are prohibitive, then ask the attorney for another reference. Ask whether he/she can recommend you to anyone in particular.