How do I pick the best person to represent me?
Picking a lawyer to represent you can feel a little like choosing which used car salesman to buy a car from. I recommend you sit down with an attorney and ask them questions around your major divorce concerns. Take the time to talk through your concerns and see if the attorney communicates with you in a way that you understand.
Attorney’s can often “do the job” but do they really care about you or your family? Often times attorney’s are characterized as living for the all powerful billable hour. Now the cost of a divorce isn’t cheap. See my blog post on “How much is this going to cost? And how long is this going to take?” But you will want an attorney that relates to your needs, is an expert in divorce and will be honest with you.
Divorce is a complex process with so many nuances that a general attorney may not be up to date in the latest case law or specifics of the law related to the many different aspects included in a divorce. For instance, creative steps can be taken to address family debt issues if the right financial circumstances are present.
You want an attorney that will tell you the truth. If an attorney is telling you that you deserve to rake your spouse over the coals and take them for everything that they have – that should be a HUGE RED FLAG! Stop right there. Just like everything in life – this is likely too good to be true. You want an attorney who will tell you their true impressions and dare I say it.. even when you are being unreasonable. It can happen and you don’t want to waste time and money on a fight you can’t win. Your attorney can help you decide which aspects of your divorce are worth fighting over and which ones are not.
Don’t just blindly hire an attorney that a friend used but be wise and meet with them to see if they are a right fit for you, your circumstances and family.