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Knowing what questions to ask a prospective divorce lawyer can mean the difference between poor representation and excellent representation. Divorce lawyers can be really quite expensive, and it is vital that you walk into the firm with enough confidence and knowledge of their abilities to handle your case well.
You are going to need a family law expert. Not all family lawyers limit their practice to family law, and it is important that you ask them about the types of cases they tend to handle the most. If only a small percentage of their cases are relevant to family law and divorce, move on to another more qualified attorney.
Be sure that you understand the fee arrangement before deciding on a family lawyer. Most divorce lawyers require a retainer, which is usually a $1000 to $5000 initial payment due when they accept you as their client. Different divorce lawyers have varying refund and billing arrangements and you need to be clear on the firm’s practices. You also need to be clear about whether you are hiring one lawyer in the firm or if the entire firm will be involved in your case. While a strong legal team can be good tactic, the more intimately your divorce lawyer knows your case the better his or her representation is going to be.
On your list of questions to ask a divorce lawyer, make sure you include questions regarding their courtroom experience and abilities. If you and your spouse can not settle your affairs out of court, you will want to know that your attorney can handle the courtroom and not go out of their way to avoid a courtroom.
Ask your prospective divorce lawyer his or her feelings on mediation and whether or not this is an aspect that they can handle personally. Some divorce lawyers assign “mediators” who end up being rather unfamiliar with your case until perhaps the night before you mediation. Some lawyers also charge the same amount for sending in a paralegal as their mediator as they charge for their own services. For most couples, courts, and lawyers, mediation is actually the preferred method of settling a divorce. Spend a lot of time asking questions regarding their mediation tactics, abilities, and the general outcome. Ask them how long they believe it will take them to complete your divorce.
Not all the answers that your prospective divorce lawyer offers you will be 100% accurate. There are variables that can influence time, cost, and even who will represent you on the day of your trial or mediation. However, the answers that your prospective divorce lawyer offers should paint a pretty clear picture on how they prefer to operate through the divorce process, whether or not you can afford them, and whether or not you feel they are a good fit for you and your case.
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