Choosing a divorce or family law attorney can be a stressful process. The attorney you choose can have a major impact on the outcome of your case. Here are the top five things you should consider to ensure you hire the right attorney for your case.
- Experience You want to find an attorney who primarily practices family law in the county where your case will take place. Attorneys with this experience will be well-versed in not only the laws relevant to your case but also the judges, mediators, guardians ad litem, and opposing attorneys who could be involved in your case.
- Communication Everyone communicates differently. Ask a potential attorney his/her preferred communication style, phone, email, etc. Also, ask what system the attorney uses to make sure you receive prompt responses to your communication. A vague answer means there is no system and response times will likely be lengthy or sporadic.
- Compatibility and Trust You will be sharing a lot of very personal information with your attorney. You need to make sure you feel comfortable talking to him/her. You also need to make sure that your attorney understands your goals and is willing to match his/her legal strategy to your desires.
- Knowledge of the Issues in Your Case When discussing the facts of your case, an attorney should be able to identify and explain key legal issues to you. For example, if you own a small business, the attorney should be able to discuss how the business will be valued and divided in the divorce. Beware of attorneys who only tell you what you want to hear. They are likely just trying to get your business.
- Billing/Cost Transparency Divorces can be expensive, and you need to know you will be charged fairly and reasonably. Find out as much as you can about the attorney’s billing practices. The attorney should be able to provide you with retainer, hourly rates, and frequency of billing. Also, make sure to ask whether they bill for smaller things, like administrative tasks, copies, mileage, and postage. These things can really add up. Don’t be afraid to ask what you can do to cut down on costs. An attorney worth hiring will be very open about this and give you several suggestions.
If you are in the process of hiring a divorce or family law attorney, it is wise to meet with two or three potential attorneys before hiring someone. This is the best way to see the differences between attorneys. If you are reading this and realizing you hired the wrong attorney, you can always change attorneys. The right attorney can make a huge difference on the length, cost, and outcome of your case.
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