Hi from NYC

I'm hoping for some advice on how to start my own company from those that have done so.

I've already decided to start an LLC in Delaware because it's suppose to be cheaper and easier than starting one in New York (no need to publish in your local papers), where I live. So how do I go about starting my LLC? I've googled and apparently there's sites that can set it up for you for like 100-300 bucks. Is this an appropriate way to start your business or should I use a business lawyer?

What do I need to do to conduct business in New York if my company is in formed in Delaware? I know you need some sort of certificate or something, but I don't plan on actually having a physical store location or anything. I'll mainly be doing business out of my apartment as a side job. Also, if I'm selling products to people around the world, is there anything else I need to be concerned about?

Since my business will be a side job, do I really need a lawyer or tax advisors? I'd would like to have a lawyer due to the "sensitive" and law-suit prone nature of my business, but the capital involved is just so small (less than 100k). For similar reasons, I feel I would need a tax advisor to help manage the finances and taxes of my new company (as well as advise me on how to minimize my own taxes through business expense deductions).

If I were to need professonal counsel such as a lawyer or tax advisor, where do I go about finding them? I hear yellow pages are bad. I did find one law office on lawyer.com that seems to specialize in what I want to do, but is it reliable to find lawyers/law firms online? I have friends that are in the law business, but they mainly know medical law and political law (not what I'm focusing on). Typically, what sort of fees should I expect? Is a "free" consultation really free?

If someone can provide me with some advice or direct me to where I can find answers to my questions, I'd greatly appreciate it.