How To Find A Good Divorce Attorney

Posted by: KHTS Articles in News Articles August 11, 2020 - 11:06 am 0 455 Views

So you find yourself in need of a divorce attorney. Likely you’re already feeling overwhelmed.

This is a difficult time regardless of your reasons for seeking a divorce and your feelings towards your spouse and legal proceedings in general. No marriage is the same and so it follows that no divorce will be the same either. That is why you need a divorce lawyer.

The following will break down the things you need to keep in mind when looking for a divorce attorney to represent you and your interests in your divorce.

Focus on the Point of the Process

Foremost, you need to keep in mind that divorce is a legal process. The goal of divorce, from a legal standpoint, is to dissolve your shared assets and come to custody conclusions if those need to be sorted. While you search for an attorney, this is something that can be difficult to stay focused on. Likely you will have to remind yourself of it often.

Of course, you are going to have things you want to vent or speak about, but usually, a divorce attorney is not the person to express these things to. Attorney’s are expensive and you want to make sure that you’re paying them to do their job, not to do something a friend or parent or sibling is more suited for.

Keep Your Aims in Mind

You need to stay aware of your goals in the divorce process. Remind yourself that a healthy divorce is possible. You want to get divorced with minimal financial damage done.

There might be material things that were not so important to you before pursuing a divorce. Do your best to avoid getting caught up in holding onto these things that at one point meant little or nothing to you. Stay aware of the things you truly want and need.

Find A Few Attorney Candidates To Interview

This can be more difficult if you live in a smaller town, but it is important to consider all your options. As a jumping-off point, you’re going to want to look for an attorney that specializes in family law. Ideally, you’re looking for someone who specializes in the type of divorce you are working through.

Make sure any candidates you consider are able to explain the process to you in a way that you can understand. Nothing is going to make this process more difficult than not comprehending what is happening and why.

As we know that finding trusted experts can be tough, especially with everything else you’ve got on your plate, below you will find some good questions to ask and important red flags not to ignore.

Questions To Ask A Potential Divorce Attorney

1. Ask about rates and the clients an attorney typically represents

If someone is out of your price range, they are not the right attorney for you. Remember the goals discussed above.

Likewise, if an attorney specializes in another type of client, they are likely not right for you. Things to note at this point include whether custody is in question, whether you or your spouse operate a small business, or if your divorce handles property located out of state, country, or province.

2. Ask about the attorney’s colleague(s) that will be assisting with your case

Very rarely will a single attorney handle all the day-to-day aspects of your case. You should know who else you will be interacting with on a regular basis.

3. Ask about additional resources your attorney has access to

Many attorneys have connections with parenting coordinators, forensic accountants, and financial experts. Ask if they expect you to require additional services and how much these services cost.

4. Ask what percentage of their cases go to trial

If you and your spouse feel like trial can be avoided as you agree on many things from the beginning, you might lean towards someone with a low percentage of cases gone to trial. This indicates the attorney has experience settling cases without the use of trial and implies strong negotiation skills.

Things To Watch Out For When Considering Attorneys

1. Avoid any attorney that makes promises about the outcome of your divorce

There’s nothing wrong with an attorney telling you what they expect the outcome to be. In fact, you might want and need to hear this. It is another thing entirely for an attorney to tell you with certainty what is going to happen.

2. Does the attorney speak of past client’s confidential information?

Besides being unprofessional, you need to realize it is likely that if an attorney does this with a previous client, they will speak of your case to future clients.

3. How many interruptions occur during your consultation?

If there are dozens of phone calls and it’s difficult to get the attorney’s undivided attention, you can expect the same patterns to carry forward if you choose the attorney.

It’s important to know that you are not alone in this process. There are things you can do to make a divorce, and your post-divorce life easier. It is possible to find someone trustworthy and kind to sit in your corner and minimize the stress and losses that come with divorce.

Remaining aware of the above tips will help you find the right divorce attorney for you and your situation. No matter your reasons for divorce, this can be a difficult time. Finding the correct person to represent you throughout the process can help ease the burden of it all.