how do you find the best attorney for divorce

by Prof. Dallas Pfeffer Sr. 5 min read

When looking for a divorce lawyer, word-of-mouth referrals from friends, family, and other professionals are a useful place to start. Seeking out attorneys who specialize in areas such as custody or division of assets can also be beneficial.

How to evaluate a good divorce attorney?

Jul 14, 2019 · Going Through a Divorce?: How to Find the Best Divorce Attorney Table of Contents [ hide] 1. Know What Your Goals Are 2. Have a List of Questions 3. Look for Disciplinary Problems 4. Find Referrals 5. Talk in Person First Don’t Rush Into Hiring a Divorce Attorney Unfortunately, not all marriages work out.

What to look for in a good divorce attorney?

Dec 22, 2017 · Often times, you can get a sense of what a lawyer is like from your first phone call to their practice. Many lawyers will do an initial consultation for free but some will require a fee so be sure to ask before setting up a meeting. Query people in your circle who have used a divorce lawyer and ask if they would recommend theirs.

How do I find a good divorce attorney?

You need to like your attorney. It's also important that you have confidence in your lawyer's abilities and respond well to communication style. Some lawyers pride themselves on an aggressive demeanor, while others highlight their ability to collaborate and settle most divorces without a drawn-out courtroom battle. Your needs, your personality, and your spouse's …

How to know if a divorce lawyer is good?

Professional referrals and customer testimonials. If you’ve worked with other lawyers in the past, ask them to recommend a divorce attorney. Likewise, talk to the attorney’s past clients about their experience. You can easily find reviews of lawyers online, or ask the lawyer for a list of clients you can contact.

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What to look for in a divorce lawyer?

Key points to look for when searching for a good divorce lawyer-. 1. Understand your lawyer’s role. The goal of using a lawyer to help in your divorce process is to move the dissolution of your marriage forward in a fair and equitable manner. The main points of discussion when meeting with a lawyer should focus on money, ...

What percentage of a family law practice should be devoted to family law?

If they don’t specialize in family law exclusively, find out what percentage of the practice is devoted to family law; it should be at least 50% of their caseload. Depending on your financial situation, you may want to seek a lawyer who also has expertise in finance and property laws. It is important to get a good “fit”.

How to avoid long battles with ex spouse?

Finding the right lawyer could end up saving you time and money, and help you avoid long, drawn-out battles with your ex-spouse to be. Remember, your divorce will shape the rest of your life, so choose your lawyer wisely. Spending time to do the necessary research from the outset will truly be time well-spent.

Why is it important to meet with several lawyers?

You want to get a sense of different approaches so it is important to meet with several lawyers in order to decide on one who would be the right lawyer for your unique situation. Often times, you can get a sense of what a lawyer is like from your first phone call to their practice.

What is the marriage.com course?

If you feel disconnected or frustrated about the state of your marriage but want to avoid separation and/or divorce, the marriage.com course meant for married couples is an excellent resource to help you overcome the most challenging aspects of being married.

Can lawyers advertise on the internet?

Check their online presence. In years past, some states allowed lawyers to advertise in telephone directories. If you still use a directory, you can always check there, but nowadays nearly all lawyers and legal practice s have websites that you can check out.

Is it easy to divorce?

Hopefully, you will have done your research and your divorce can move along and be finalized without major hitches. It is never an easy decision to divorce, but going in with knowledge can help make this transition time less uncertain and a bit easier to get through.

What type of attorney do I need for divorce?

What Type of Attorney do I Need? When you're getting a divorce, you'll need an attorney who is experienced in family law matters. A old college friend who now practices medical malpractice law isn't likely to be the best choice to handle your divorce. Different areas of the law have different rules and requirements.

What is the demeanor of a divorce lawyer?

Some lawyers pride themselves on an aggressive demeanor, while others highlight their ability to collaborate and settle most divorces without a drawn-out courtroom battle. Your needs, your personality, and your spouse's demeanor in the divorce will also affect the type of attorney best suited to your case.

Is divorce hard?

It can be the difference between feeling like you have an advocate to protect you, or feeling like you're fighting a battle alone. Divorce is hard, but an experienced divorce lawyer can take on some of that burden and help you achieve your goals. Find out more about what to look for when choosing a divorce attorney.

Can a single attorney give legal advice?

A single attorney can't ethically give good legal advice to two people in adverse positions. While some couples choose to use a single attorney to draw up divorce paperwork, that attorney legally only represents one of the spouses.

What can an experienced divorce attorney tell you?

An experienced divorce attorney will be able to tell you how likely it is you'll get what you're seeking in the divorce. An attorney can also help you devise a strategy for your case and give a rough timeline of how long it will take.

What are the complaints about divorce lawyers?

One of the biggest complaints about lawyers is their unresponsiveness to calls or emails. Make sure your attorney will be an attentive one. Realistic. You should have a good idea of what your divorce will cost you, and the settlement you'll likely receive, before you leave the attorney's office. Experienced.

What can a divorce lawyer do for you?

What a Divorce lawyer can do for you. Hiring an experienced divorce attorney is the best way you get peace of mind when dealing with child custody, alimony, and asset division. Having a divorce lawyer advise you helps ensure that nothing is left out of your divorce agreement, which means that costly mistakes won't come back to bite you later.

How much does it cost to hire a divorce attorney?

Hiring a divorce attorney can cost anywhere from $250 to $350 per hour which may add up to a lot of money. However, attorneys may also handle divorces for a flat fee. The fee for an uncontested divorce might range from a $600 flat fee to a $5,000 retainer, depending on circumstances.

What happens if you don't agree to custody?

You're dealing with custody disputes: If you and your spouse can't agree on a custody arrangement, you'll need to prove that your proposal is in the best interest of your children at the end of your marriage.

What is contested divorce?

A contested divorce occurs when couples can't agree out of court on one or more of these issues. That means you'll have to go to court to resolve them. And a court battle is a high-stakes process that can be difficult to take on without a lawyer's help.

Is divorce paperwork time consuming?

Divorce paperwork is also extremely time-consuming. In addition to spending late nights completing forms correctly, people often have to take time off work to travel to the courthouse--to collect the proper paperwork and later to file it. This is especially frustrating for those who are paid hourly.

What to do before you rush out to hire a divorce attorney?

Before you rush out to hire a divorce attorney, consider other alternatives to traditional litigation. If you aren't completely entangled with children and finances, you could hire a mediator to help you negotiate the terms of your divorce.

What is the cheapest way to get divorced?

Mediation is the fastest, cheapest way to get divorced, and you might not need to hire an attorney at all! If your negotiation is more complicated, you'll have to hire a divorce lawyer to negotiate a settlement with your spouse's attorney. Or you could consider a collaborative divorce.

What is collaborative divorce?

A collaborative divorce is focused on negotiation with the goal of preserving a co-parenting relationship. Your last resort is a litigated trial. Typically, these are the cases when neither side will compromise. So you need to determine what type of divorce attorney you need based on your unique circumstances.

What is the purpose of divorce?

First, you need to realize that divorce is a legal process with the sole purpose of dissolving your assets and resolving custody issues. Your divorce attorney's job is to represent you to the best of his or her ability in this process.

Who is Laura Miolla?

Laura Miolla is a Separation and Divorce Coach who helps people find clarity, empowerment and confidence in the difficult divorce process. Use coaching to make better decisions in your divorce, achieve better outcomes, and lower the cost.

Do attorneys tell you what you want to hear?

Unfortunately, many attorneys will tell you what you want to hear just to close the deal. While this is your life, it's a business for them. There are no guarantees in this process, so if an attorney is making promises, don't believe it.

Throughout a divorce, your attorney will be your advisor, spokesperson, negotiator, and trusted confidant. Finding the right one for you is essential

Now that you and your partner have made the difficult decision to get divorced, you have to set about the task of finding a lawyer. Unfortunately, it’s not something that you can resolve with just a simple Google search. Before settling on a divorce lawyer to oversee your proceedings, you have to make sure you haven’t left a single stone unturned.

Do. Your. Homework

Just like any other major decision in your life, you want to make sure that you go into the divorce process with your eyes wide open and as well-informed as possible.

Know What You Want

Before you settle on a lawyer, ask yourself what it is that you’re hoping to get from them. Are you looking for a lawyer who’s emotionally supportive? An impersonal but focused attorney? Are you looking for a team or a one-on-one personal experience?

Ask Around

If you know of friends or family members who’ve been through a divorce, definitely reach out to them and ask for advice and suggestions on who they went with and how it worked out for them.

Meet with More Than One Lawyer

Part of the research process for a good divorce lawyer should include multiple meetings with various attorneys. This will allow you to see how each lawyer will approach your divorce and what they will do to build the best possible case.

Ask the Right Questions

When meeting with an attorney, don’t waste time asking questions about their experience, as that is information you should have gathered already from your research.

Make Sure They Stay in Touch

Lawyers are busy, obviously, but that doesn’t mean that a call or email from you shouldn’t be returned as quickly as possible. Even a simple email back acknowledging that they’ve received your message and will get back to you soon can go a long way.

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