Divorce itself is a nerve wrecking, emotional and draining process and without the help of an experienced lawyer – it can get even worse. Hiring a lawyer is an integral step for many who are planning to start the process of legal separation or divorce, but this ordeal can often leave people feeling overwhelmed and super confused. The couples simply don’t know how and where to begin with or what factors to consider before hiring a divorce attorney.
The legal battle of ending a marriage relationship is complex enough, and it shouldn’t be made any more complicated due to lack of confusion and information over hiring a divorce attorney. To help you have a better understanding so that you don’t end up having less than what you actually deserve, here are some factors things to consider when hiring a lawyer.
Being Comfortable With the Attorney
The divorce attorney you hire is someone whom you will be communicating and sharing your important details, which will help you in settling your divorce case while attaining the best possible result. For that matter, you should feel easy communicating with your lawyer. Arrange a meet up with each attorney or lawyer you are looking forward to hire. You should consider speaking with them over phone or skype call or take an appointment to meet them at their office. Once you get to meet them, observe them closely. Were they distracted by something or did they seem relax around you? Were they all ears to you, or did they lead the talking part. Did they treat you respectfully during the appointment, or did they crack a joke or said something that wasn’t to your taste?
Your initial reaction to your lawyer’s attitude will help you decide whether you want to hire them or not. Their concern and seriousness towards you and your divorce carries significant weight because your emotions and money are involved. If, during a consultation session you don’t feel at ease or confident, you are under no obligation to commit working with them.
Don’t feel awkward in having consultations with a few more divorce attorneys before taking a final decision.
Is Your Attorney Easy to Reach
During the initial sessions with your divorce attorney, be sure to ask about their availability. A lot of attorneys are working on numerous divorce cases at the same time, so they may be rather busy or not easily available. While this doesn’t mean that they can’t take your case, it is something that you should be aware of and ask questions about.
Ask the lawyer about their communication preferences with clients. Ask how soon you would get a reply to a voicemail you left or an email you sent. If you live far away from your lawyer’s office or have an overly busy work schedule, ask if they can have a facetime with you. However, if at any point in time you think your case is growing more gruesome or high in conflict, you may ask your attorney for more attention.
Look for Testimonials & Reviews
When you go for shopping for things like clothes and accessories or even worthy stuff like mobile or a car, you’ll probably do some basic research about the things you are about to invest in. We normally take our friends and family’s opinion, and many of you might consider turning to the internet to read reviews and testimonials about that product. While hiring an attorney or purchasing a product are two different things, they are both serious investments that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Do little research about the lawyer you are considering to appoint. Visit their website or professional networking sites like, LinkedIn, to get an idea about their education and legal practices. Also ask your attorney to give you some referral contacts such as their previous successful divorce clients. Past referral reviews will give you an idea that what you should expect from your attorney. Use your best judgement when listening to and reading attorney reviews, and take them into consideration as you weigh your options.
Attorney’s Fee
Not all divorce attorneys are priced the same. Remember your divorce is going to cost you and it’s important to know how much. While attorney’s fee shouldn’t be the determining factor as to whether or not you hire them, it is still very important to understand. Some divorce lawyers and firms offer a flat fee for divorce cases, while others charge their hourly fee. No matter how your hired lawyer bills you, understand their financial plans up front to avoid any confusion.
Hiring an attorney for the divorce shouldn’t be an intimidating or tiring process.
However, it is really important to hire the best divorce lawyer if you want to have a smooth process and a mutually accepted result after the divorce hearings. Please keep in mind that this may take lot of time, patience and effort, but once you get hold of a decent divorce lawyer, you will realize that your patience was worth the effort. Consider the above factors in mind before finalizing an attorney and I bet you, you won’t go wrong.
