Are you considering getting a divorce? If you are, you are most definitely not alone. There are things you can do to make the process a lot easier. Finding a good divorce lawyer can make a big difference.
4 Tips for Finding a Good Divorce Lawyer and Surviving Your Divorce:
- Know going in that there are no “winners” in a divorce. You may be angry. You may have every right to be angry. Despite this, going into your divorce thinking you are going to crush the other person or just win everything will make the process harder on everyone, including you. You will both have to make some compromises and that is a normal part of getting a divorce.
- Talk to your friends and family. Given the high number of divorces that occur in the United States every year, the chances are pretty good that you know at least one person who has gone to a divorce attorney. If you do not know off of the top of your head, you should ask. This may be a little on the awkward side but the best way to get quality products and services is through a personal recommendation. You may not end up hiring the same person your friend or family member did but they can get you started. They can also tell you that how they found their divorce lawyer.
- Talk to at least three lawyers. You should not just go with the first divorce lawyer you talk to. Do some research into the lawyers and bring a set of questions to ask:
- What made you go into divorce law? You want a lawyer who really cares about their work, not someone who is just “phoning it in.” You need someone who is truly dedicated to their clients and the work they do.
- How much experience with family law cases? Like doctors, lawyers specialize. You cannot go to a lawyer who specializes in criminal defense law? You need some who has experience with family law generally and handling divorces specifically. If there are children involved, you will need a lawyer with experience in custody issues as well.
- How much experience do you have with my kind of divorces? Not all divorces are the same. There is the issue of children but there may be other issues that need to be resolved. If you started a business with your spouse, you will have to work the details of who owns the business after the divorce has been settled.
- How much experience do you have working in the area? Different states have different regulations regarding divorce. A family lawyer Rhode Island may have to deal with different issues than if you live in California. You need a lawyer who has experience and can practice in your state.
- How good of a negotiator? When you go into a divorce process, you want to do whatever you can to work things out without going into a courtroom. That means your divorce lawyer needs to be a great negotiator. You should also pick your battles wisely and remember that no one wins in a divorce.
- How much experience do you have in court? You never want to end up there but if you do, you want a lawyer who knows what they are doing once they have to be in a courtroom.
- What is your fee structure like? You need to know exactly what and how you will be charged for your lawyer’s services. This is very important. You want decent representation but you need to be able to afford it.
- Do not assume that a higher price tag equals a better lawyer. While it is true that you may not want to go with the cheapest lawyer you talk to, you may also want to apply that rule to the most expensive. Some firms, and others, charge a lot because they think it will make their services look more valuable. If you research the average cost for divorces that are similar to yours, you will be in a better position to evaluate the costs.
Divorces are never fun. You can do things to make the process easier and hiring the right divorce lawyer is one of them.
