|
You have hired your divorce lawyer to fill a legal need. You need representation in order to come away from your divorce proceedings with a reasonable assets and legal rights involving your children. Your divorce lawyer should be able to fulfill some basic expectations but isn’t a magician or a miracle worker. You can’t expect unrealistic demands from your divorce lawyer. In order to make the working relationship a positive one, you and your new attorney should be able to determine what the expectations of each other really are.
You should expect your divorce lawyer to act professionally, return phone calls within a day or two, and develop a strong but flexible strategy which they should share with you. Your divorce lawyer should keep you well informed so that you and he or she can determine what next step is in your best interest.
Lawyers are hired for their counsel on legal matters. Even the hardest working and most dedicated attorney might have recommendations that you are firmly against. Perhaps you feel that joint custody with your spouse is healthier for your kids even though your lawyer declares they can probably get you full custody. You might be more interested in watching your lawyer make your spouse cry and tremble on the stand rather than receiving your share of the assets. It is important to listen to your lawyer’s advice, weigh it carefully, and determine what is really best for you and your future. If you continuously disregard advice without discussing it with your lawyer in advance, you can fully expect your attorney to drop your case.
You should expect your lawyer to have different divorce goals for you than you have for yourself in the beginning of the process. He or she is not emotionally involved and can often see the legal issues more clearly. You might be too wrapped up in your emotional response to be able to look at the legal aspects without your lawyer’s help. Over time and while your divorce lawyer is developing a strategy you should be able to notice the goals of each of you start to match better. This indicates that you are communicating well and are working together as a team.
You should always feel well informed by your divorce lawyer. He or she should always offer you multiple options even if they suspect that you won’t want to accept some of these options. Passing on legal information followed by a recommendation for the best legal outcome is part of your lawyer’s job. Never stick with an attorney who doesn’t involve you in the process of your own divorce.
If you are in the process of finding and hiring a divorce lawyer you should also find out about whatquestions to ask a prospective divorce laywer.
|
Subscribe to Divorce News