It might be difficult to narrow down your options and choose the perfect divorce attorney. There are many lawyers out there, but not all of them are created equal. You don’t want to entrust your case to someone who doesn’t specialize in family law.
It may be time-consuming and expensive to switch lawyers midway through a lawsuit because you hired the incorrect one. You need to be careful not to choose the incorrect individual. How, then, do you decide? How do you know you’ve picked the best option?
Experience
Find a lawyer who has experience in divorce cases and who focuses on the areas that are important to you. An expert in child custody or the split of complex assets may be what you need. A lawyer’s participation in family-law committees or presentations to bar bodies on these matters is further evidence of their expertise in the field.
Think of the type of divorce process
You must determine whether you expect your divorce to lead to all-out confrontation, if you are capable of working things out on your own, or if you will require assistance in this matter.
How contentious your divorce is will have a significant impact on the final result. High-conflict divorces may go on for years, and you may need to take the matter to court to achieve a resolution. On the other hand, couples who are able to work out their differences on their own report a quite different experience. Just as this divorce attorney in Salt Lake City, UT, explains, divorce may be a difficult process, but it can also be as simple or complex as the divorcing couple chooses to make it. Typically, divorces take some of these forms:
- Mediation
- Collaborative or contested divorce
- Uncontested divorce
All of these alternatives to a high-conflict divorce are often quicker and cheaper than the latter. Also, having a prenuptial agreement might make your divorce seem less contentious than it otherwise would be.
Ask your family or friends
Talking to people you know about their experiences with local lawyers counts as “research” as well. Talk to others you know who have just gone through a divorce to find out who they employed and whether or not they would work with that person again.
Watch out for red flags
You should get a lawyer who makes your concerns a top priority and pays attention to what you have to say. If you feel that you can’t get a word in during the first appointment or that the lawyer isn’t “getting” you, you should go elsewhere.
There may be other warning signs, such as:
- Consultation time was wasted because they were multitasking or feeling hurried.
- Not providing you with examples related to your issue (you should not get the impression that you are being rushed through this).
- Making empty promises when it is evident they cannot fulfill them.
- Not listening to you.
Think about your budget
Organize your finances. Most people are aware that hiring a lawyer may quickly become expensive, although this is not always the case. If you choose a cheap, less experienced counsel who doesn’t properly battle for your interests, you might potentially ‘lose’ a significant amount of money or assets to your husband or wife.
Once you know how much you can afford to pay for a lawyer, you can narrow down your search to those that charge according to your budget.
Look for empathy
Your attorney should make you feel at ease so that you can confidently discuss your situation with them. To do this, it is important that your divorce lawyer maintain a compassionate demeanor throughout the case. They should recognize your precarious position and respond appropriately.
They may also be able to provide assistance in the form of marriage therapy. If your lawyer is behaving excessively expensively or rudely, they usually lack the empathy required to handle divorce matters, which are often emotionally charged. They might make you feel bad about yourself or make you hesitate.
Look for ethics
Pick a divorce attorney with whom you feel comfortable and who treats you with the utmost respect and professionalism. The best divorce lawyers know the law, help their clients understand the process, are good communicators and negotiators, come up with innovative solutions to problems, and are familiar with the legal system in their clients’ home states. At a minimum, individuals should choose three potential divorce lawyers to interview. People may also conduct their own studies online.
Feeling comfortable
When deciding on a divorce attorney, it’s important to prioritize how you feel. While your lawyer’s knowledge and experience in family law matter, so does your comfort level with him or her. Having an attorney you feel like confiding in is crucial throughout the highly personal and emotionally charged process of a divorce.
Take careful notes on the attorney’s behavior and approach to communication throughout your first meeting. An empathetic attorney is one who listens carefully to your problems, acknowledges your feelings, and has real sympathy for your predicament. They will make you feel comfortable enough to talk about your hopes, anxieties, and concerns without worrying about being judged.
Initial consultation
You may get free advice on your case and the law from several competent divorce lawyers by scheduling an initial meeting. These first discussions may take place in person or over the phone. Most people have never been through a divorce before, so it’s crucial to know what to expect and how the process works. First impressions matter, so it’s smart to schedule a meeting with potential legal counsel to see whether you click. Because you’ll be working with the same lawyer from the beginning to the end, it’s crucial that you get along well with them.
It’s difficult to know who to talk to when you’re going through a divorce, and choosing someone to represent you in court can be an even harder task. You would not want someone who is not qualified to help with your case, and some divorce lawyers do not even handle family law. The top divorce lawyers are experts in the laws of your state and may utilize that knowledge to your advantage, so choose wisely and follow these tips to help you facilitate your search.
