Divorces are complicated and involve many emotions, which is why you need to choose the right divorce lawyer. Here are five tips to help you do just that.
1. Choose A Reliable Divorce Attorney
You need a lawyer that is reliable. Throughout the divorce process, you’ll have all sorts of questions, concerns, or disputes you’ll want to take care of. If your lawyer isn’t easy to access or not contactable on short notice, then this can make your divorce even more of a hassle. Before you hire an attorney, ask them questions about their accessibility and whether or not they can be contacted on short notice. This will give you an idea of how reliable they are.
2. Experience Is Crucial
Don’t choose an attorney that doesn’t have much experience. By experience, we don’t mean how many years they’ve been practicing law. Instead, experience refers to how many clients the attorney has represented throughout the last year or two. It also refers to a track record.
Furthermore, don’t hire an attorney that does other things besides divorce cases. A divorce attorney should solely focus on divorce cases or family law in general.
3. Negotiation Skills
Divorces often involve a ton of negotiating. The chances are your divorce will consist of deciding how to split real estate, funds from bank accounts, retirement funds, custody of kids and the list goes on. A divorce attorney who has good negotiation skills will work hard to ensure you get your fair share.
4. Board Certified & Education
The divorce lawyer you choose should be board certified. Most attorneys will mention their board certification on their website. If you can’t find this info on their site, then ask them directly. While you’re at it, ask your prospective attorney where they received their education.
5. Read Reviews & Testimonials
What were other people’s experiences with the attorneys you’re researching? Reading testimonials on a divorce attorney’s website is a good way to find this out. You’ll want to check out reviews on other websites, too.
There’s bound to be negative reviews written, even if an attorney is known for being the best at what they do. This is fine, as long as there are more positive reviews than negative ones.
Besides the above, you’ll want to choose a divorce attorney based on how compatible you are with them. You’ll be interacting with your attorney often and will be discussing deeply personal topics. You need someone you feel completely comfortable with, so don’t choose an attorney you don’t feel compatible with.
