FAMILY LAW BLOG

FAMILY LAW BLOG

Submitted by Courtney J. Marshall

Divorce can be scary and overwhelming and choosing the right divorce attorney can feel just as scary and overwhelming as facing the divorce itself.  It doesn’t have to.  Here are a few quick tips to finding the right divorce attorney.

One, it’s not necessarily like shopping for car insurance, so don’t feel like you have to consult with several different family law attorneys before choosing the right one.  Typically during a family law consultation, the potential client is given a lot of information, both about the attorney as well as what to expect during the divorce process.  This experience alone can cause anxiety and overwhelm, not to mention that you could forget important details that may help you in making a final decision.  Select maybe two or three tops and consult with them.  If none are a good fit, then move on to a new list.  Keep in mind too that not all attorneys offer free consultations, so you may have to pay for a consultation, which is another reason to keep your list small.

Two, if you ask around for recommendations from friends, family, coworkers, etc., be sure to ask why the person is recommending that lawyer.  Is it because of his/her knowledgeand experience, familiarity with the local practices and bench, is s/he compassionate or aggressive.  If you chose to locate attorneys online, look for things to indicate that family law is the attorney’s primary, if not sole, area of practice.  Look for things like articles the attorney has written or seminars that attorney has presented at.  You don’t want a tax attorney who dabbles in family law.  You want an attorney who’s primary, if not sole, practice is family law.

Three, ask the attorney how often s/he practices in the court where your case will be handled.  It’s especially important in family law for attorneys to know the judges and if applicable, friend of the court for the court where they practice.  It can also be helpful to know if the attorney knows and has a relationship with opposing counsel, if there is an opposing counsel.

Four, does the attorney have help (e.g., secretary, legal assistant, associate, etc.) or is s/he on their own.  Family law attorneys are exceptionally busy people and the nature of handling a family law case requires time and attention.

Five, how does the attorney handle case management and how is the overall divorce plan communicated to the client.  If the client has a clear understanding of how the case will move forward, it lessens the client’s anxiety over the process as a whole.

Finally, ask yourself if you feel that the attorney is being straightforward with you or only telling you what you want to hear.  It is especially important in family law to have realistic expectations and an attorney who only tells you what you want to hear is setting you up for frustration and disappointment

If you have questions about finding the right family law attorney or would like to speak with us about your family law matters, we would love to hear from you.  Give us a call at 866-yourrights or visit us on the web at yourrights.com.

Happy Holidays from the family law department with the Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz!