What to Do When Hiring a Divorce Lawyer

Making the decision to get a divorce is never easy, but finding the help you need to get through shouldn’t be too hard. The first step is to find legal representation so you have someone on your side who can guide you through the process, answer your questions, and work towards the best possible outcome of your case. The choice you make could influence the end result, so it’s important to do your research before choosing your lawyer. Take a look at this list of the top things to do when hiring a divorce attorney.

Make a List

First, pull together a list of possible attorneys to help you. You can ask friends and family members who have been in a similar situation who they turned to for assistance. However, don’t just go with the first lawyer someone says they worked with! They may have helped them with a divorce that didn’t involve children, and perhaps you also have custody to think about. Searching online for lawyers in the area is a good start, and you can see what areas of law they practice. A tax lawyer will obviously not be that helpful in a divorce and custody case. Once you have a list of lawyers made, take a closer look at the list to see who you might be interested in meeting. If you can narrow it down to two or three options, you can go into your consultations and choose from there.

Request a Consultation

Whether it be on the phone or in the office, most attorneys offer a consultation so you can go over some of the details of your case. You can always contact the law firms to see how they set up consultations. If you do decide to do several consultations, try to do them close to one another. That way, you will have a fresh idea in your mind of who worked best with you and who you would like to work with as you go through your divorce.

Make a List of Questions

During your consultation, it’s likely that they will ask you what you need help with and about the situation you’re in. Be ready to give them a brief outline of what has been going on, then ask your questions. Here are some of the top ones to ask:

• What kinds of divorce cases do you usually take? Is litigation your specialty, or do you also work with alternatives like collaborative divorce?
• What issues do you see arising with my case based on what I’ve told you?
• How does payment work? Will I be charged for email or phone correspondence with you? Will I be charged for time spent speaking with your office personnel?
• Would there be anyone else handling my case with you and, if so, to what degree will they be assisting?
• Do I pay for court filing fees, or is that included in the fees I pay to you?
• How much time do you typically spend on each case? Are you currently working on any other divorce cases?
• How quickly do you get back to clients once they reach out to you? What is the flexibility of your office like as far as arranging meetings?

Evaluate

After you meet with all of the attorneys, you should feel better prepared to make your decision. You will want to decide quickly, however, as each lawyer may have more clients coming in at any moment! Think about how you felt during each consultation and your comfort level. If you felt good about their answers and they made you feel at ease, you might have the perfect choice right there! Also, consider whether you can afford the fees. In the end, the decision is up to you, but working with an experienced and confident divorce lawyer might be just what you need to feel at ease with your case.

Contact Smith Law

Finding the right divorce lawyer matters, and we want to make sure you feel like you have all the necessary information before making your decision. Having a strategy laid out before you even begin your search can help make the process feel simpler and easier. If you have any other questions, please ask them! We want you to feel confident with our team and how your case may go. We look forward to hearing from you!