how to prepare for first meeting with divorce attorney

How to Prepare for Your First Meeting with a Divorce Lawyer.

• 1. PREPARE A WRITTEN SUMMARY. You can save a lot of time by writing down basic information that your lawyer will need. This includes you and your ...
• 2. IDENTIFY ANY RELATED MATTERS.
• 3. IDENTIFY YOUR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GOALS.
• 4. WRITE DOWN A LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DIVORCE LAWYER.
• 5. GATHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR DIVORCE LAWYER.

Full Answer

What happens at the first meeting with a divorce lawyer?

 · Before your first meeting, you need to prepare two documents if at all possible. One is simple biographical information– your full name, address, phone numbers, place of employment, address of employment, date of birth, your driver’s license number, your social security number, the same information on your spouse, your date of marriage, and your …

What should I bring to a divorce meeting with my attorney?

 · Preparation for the First Meeting with a Divorce Attorney Should Include Gathering Financial Information Once they make a decision and plan on coming in to see you, that’s when it’s a good idea for them to get a handle on the assets …

What questions should I Ask my Lawyer on my first meeting?

How to Prepare for Your First Meeting with a Divorce Lawyer 1. PREPARE A WRITTEN SUMMARY. You can save a lot of time by writing down basic information that your lawyer will need. 2. IDENTIFY ANY RELATED MATTERS. All divorce cases are different. You must make sure prior to the meeting that your... 3. ...

What should I look for when hiring a divorce attorney?

 · As you go into your first meeting with a divorce attorney, be prepared to be open and honest. Share any details that you think are relevant or add context to your situation, and know that your conversation is 100% confidential. Schedule Your First …

What should a woman ask for in divorce?

You can ask for life insurance, a smaller share of your accumulated debt, more of the family heirlooms or jewelry, or a higher percentage of the retirement funds. Just like women, the men can ask for whatever they feel like they're entitled to within the divorce.

How do I prepare for my first meeting with a lawyer?

Tips For Meeting With Your Lawyer For the First TimeDress To Impress. ... Be Ready To Give Your Attorney Important Information About Yourself. ... Gather Your Evidence And Have It Ready For Your First Meeting. ... Get Your Facts Straight. ... Plan Something You Can Look Forward To For After Your Meeting.

What should you expect when meeting the lawyer for the first time?

To prepare for this first meeting, you should do your homework and collect all the relevant documents you think you many need to present your case such as medical records, witness statements, police reports or receipts. Next, you should write down a summary of any memory you had from the incident.

What is the first thing to do when considering a divorce?

Top 10 Things to Do Before You File For a DivorceNever Threaten to Divorce Until You Are Ready To File. ... Organize Your Documents. ... Focus on Your Children. ... Make Sure You Have Three Months of Financial Resources. ... Obtain the Best Legal Advice You Can Get. ... Make Sure You Have Available Credit.More items...•

What you should know before you talk to a lawyer?

10 Things You Should Know Before Contacting a LawyerHave Your Documents Ready. ... Research the Elements of Your Case. ... Don't Call if You Just Have a Question. ... You May Not Speak to a Lawyer Right Away. ... Do Not Ask the Legal Support Staff for Advice. ... Don't Provide Too Much Information. ... Answer the Lawyer's Specific Questions.More items...•

What do lawyers do in a consultation?

Meeting with a lawyer for an initial consultation is generally not a chance to ask legal questions that are in depth, but is instead an opportunity to get a sense as to whether this lawyer is the right one to handle your case. Use this meeting to help you decide which lawyer will be the best one for your case.

What are some things attorneys and clients might talk about when they first meet?

Explain how the firm operates, what type of cases are generally handled, and how the firm will likely handle this particular case. Additionally, attorneys meeting with new clients should briefly explain their experience, education, and any noteworthy cases that could apply to the case at hand.

What is an initial consultation?

An Initial consultation is a 90 minute consultation for a new client who would like to meet with a psychologist to discuss current issues and/or concerns and talk about strategies and goals for therapy and/or a treatment plan.

Can u wear sandals to court?

Footwear Not to Ever Wear in Court: Flip-flop sandals. Athletic shoes. High-heel spikes. Open-toed shoes.

What a woman should do to prepare for divorce?

9 Critical Steps Women Should Take To Prepare For DivorceGather your financial records. ... Open a Post Office Box. ... Start putting money away for legal and other professional fees. ... Open a new checking and savings account. ... Open new credit cards in your name only. ... Get a copy of your credit report.

Does it matter who files for divorce?

Filing for divorce first does not give you any inherent rights over your spouse. One benefit is that if the specific facts of your case warrant, you could have a choice of which county—and sometimes which state — to file the paperwork in. To be clear, you cannot just file in any ol' location.

How do you get gracefully in a divorce?

Going Through Divorce GracefullyRecognize that you need help. Get a counselor, mentor, small group, someone who you can be around, to help you get healthy and heal.Allow yourself to express emotion in a healthy way.Lean into God, allow Him to refine you.Avoid unhealthy addictive behaviors or escapism.

What to expect during a divorce consultation?

The subjects discussed during your consultation will depend on how far along you are in your divorce. Some clients are eager to file for divorce immediately, while others are still unsure if a divorce is right for them and just want some information about their legal rights.

Can an attorney meet with you privately?

An attorney will meet with you privately or may ask your permission to have an assistant sit in on the meeting. Anything you tell your attorney or the assistant will be kept private due to the "attorney-client privilege," and as a result, you don't have to worry about your spouse finding out what you discussed.

Can a divorce lawyer represent you?

If the lawyer or the lawyer's firm has represented or consulted with anyone on the other side of the case, he or she may have a conflict and may not be able to represent you. If you have spoken with a divorce attorney about your matter, that attorney may be prevented to talking to your spouse about your matter.

Can a divorce lawyer tell you the outcome of a divorce in Michigan?

A divorce attorney that does not tell you the POTENTIAL outcomes of the above is either too inexperienced or is afraid to tell you the truth, especially if it is a type of outcome that might not work in your favor. However, you need to be concerned if a Michigan divorce lawyer GUARANTEES you a specific result.

What happens at your first meeting with a lawyer?

Once you have a contract, you'll schedule your first meeting with your lawyer. What happens at your first meeting depends on what's happening in your divorce case. In some cases, clients hire lawyers after filing for divorce (or receiving divorce papers).

What do you learn at the end of a divorce meeting?

At the end of the first meeting, clients generally leave with homework, which includes learning as much as possible about the couple's finances in terms of assets, liabilities, and ongoing expenses. In many marriages, only one spouse is in charge of the finances. However, before a judge can finalize a divorce, both spouses need to have a complete understanding of the couple's incomes, assets, and debts. If you can provide the details about your finances at the first meeting with your new lawyer, the meeting will be much more productive.

What should an attorney do?

Because the attorney depends on the accuracy of the information you provide, it's important to answer the attorney's questions and questionnaires honestly and completely. An attorney should try to understand the client's psychological and financial situation to make any necessary referrals to psychotherapists, divorce coaches, estate attorneys, or financial planners for specialized advice.

What is a lawyer's job for a divorce?

Typically, a client comes in with general questions about an impending or recently-filed divorce. Most lawyers will review the various divorce processes available (collaborative law , divorce mediation, or litigation) and describe the steps for each. From there, you and your lawyer can decide what steps to take next.

What are the emotions of a divorce?

Many, though not all, divorcing clients experience various emotions when their marriage ends, such as fear, anger, hurt, anxiety, or even depression. They may have to endure constant conflict at home; they may be losing sleep or have deep concerns about how their children will handle the impending divorce news.

What are the issues in divorce?

Review relevant divorce-related issues 1 custody of any minor children 2 child support 3 alimony —whether either spouse should pay and if so, how much and for how long, and 4 division of property and debts.

Is divorce at its best?

As a result of the emotions surrounding a breakup, divorce clients are not generally at their best . Attorneys need to keep this in mind as they approach the first client meeting. Lawyers should try to make their divorce clients as comfortable as possible, which may require the following:

What is the main part of divorce?

A major part of any divorce is determining how to divide what has been accumulated during the marriage. This starts by preparing a “marital balance sheet” to define your financial assets and liabilities.

How many categories of divorce are there?

Most divorce cases have four primary categories to consider:

How to calculate financial support for spouse?

There are no forms or charts to calculate financial support for a spouse. The duration and amount of any payments following a divorce are determined solely by negotiation. Your lawyer should have some ideas, based upon past experience, as to what you might expect.

Is divorce a business?

Ultimately, the legal process of divorce is more about business than emotions, but those often are difficult to separate. Your lawyer should be able to provide resources to help you work through the emotional aspects, while also focusing on the financial and family issues.

What to do if you have been keeping a calendar of events?

Calendars/Journals. If you’ve been keeping a calendar of events or journaling, you should consider bringing those to help jog your memory about timeline and events. Inflammatory Documents. Don’t hold back from your attorney.

What is an intake form for family law?

Most family law lawyers have an intake form that gives them a snapshot of the issues and your goals, and gives them important details about you and your family. At McCabe Russell, we don’t require you to fill it out our intake form advance, but if you can, it helps us move forward. Agreements.

What is the purpose of texting your spouse?

It gives the attorney a sense of how you and your spouse or co-parent communicate, and it gives your attorney an opportunity to coach you through good and bad responses.

Who is Heather from the law firm?

Heather is the firm’s managing partner and divorce law guru. Heather knows all the ins and outs of divorce in Maryland and DC, and she knows exactly what to do to put her clients in a position to accomplish their goals.

Do you need a mortgage statement and a copy of deed?

Mortgage Statement and/or Copy of Deed. It’s not uncommon for clients not to know what is owing on their own mortgage or even whether they are on the mortgage. Bringing a mortgage statement and a copy of the deed can help your lawyer determine the answers to these important questions.

Interviewing Divorce Attorneys

How Should I Prepare For The First Meeting?

• Your first meeting or consultation will probably take place at the attorney’s office. Most divorce attorneys will tell you what to bring to your meeting. If not, bring any documents you feel are important to your case. Try to stay calm and not worry too much about this first meeting; think of it as an interview – a way for you to decide if this is ...

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Is The Meeting Confidential?

What to Expect During The Consultation