How do you choose a good divorce attorney?
Divorce is tough and most of the time the person is disillusioned and is unsure of where to turn to. The lack of awareness and the social stigma attached to it prevents one from making the right decisions. And in the case of lawyers, one tends to rush things and end up hiring someone, they shouldn’t. Selecting a good lawyer is crucial since the next part of the life depends on how the divorce takes place. Here are a few tips to help you find the right lawyer:
1) Be clear about the goal: While going through a divorce, most than often we let our emotions take over and that is the moment when we start making mistakes. Our intention should be to end the proceedings quickly and be done with it. The longer the divorce proceedings drag on, the more will be the lawyer’s fees and deeper will the divorce matter penetrate in our lifestyle. Our motive should be made clear to the lawyer so that he/she can steer the course of the case accordingly.
2) Being realistic: Yes, we all will agree that we need a shoulder to cry on or a punching bag to vent out our anger. And we are somehow convinced that our divorce lawyer is a part time therapist. Lawyers are only concerned with representing you in court. They are not trained or certified to become counselors or therapists. We hire them to handle our divorce proceedings and letting them do their particular job is probably the best choice to minimise the fees and not concern them with other responsibilities.
3) Make a list of prospective lawyers: A lawyer plays an important role in determining how the divorce case will end and whether your terms are met or not. So, before hiring a lawyer, make sure you have the best and that will prevent the regret from creeping in at the end of the proceeding. Make a list of prospective lawyers and research a bit on their past clients and their portfolios. A lawyer should be able to represent you and your interests in the court and should be familiar with all the rules and the various possible scenarios inside the court. Ask for recommendations from family and friends, and search online portals.
4) Check for possible warnings: The lawyer’s behavior while talking to you can say a lot about his/her attitude in handling the case. One can judge the interest or dedication to the case by talking or watching them closely. They will say anything just to please you and to get the case, and that is why one needs to be careful.
Hiring a divorce lawyer is a major step in determining the course of the divorce and how it is settled. Doing careful research and seeking recommendation can is necessary for finding an efficient lawyer. That will save money and the hassle of changing the lawyer at a later stage of the case.
Source and references: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/picking-lawyer.asp