No one wants to believe their marriage will end with a divorce. However, the statistics are everywhere and they are sobering. The reality is that a married woman will likely find herself in need of an attorney to help navigate the waters of marriage dissolution. The question is, how to go about finding the attorney that is right for you and who will be the best advocate for your rights and those of your children.
Facing the end of a marriage is never easy. There are legal, emotional, financial and personal implications that will affect all parties for years to come. Over time, many of these issues can be dealt with, but first things first: a woman needs to find the best legal advice and representation she can. This is not the place to look for a bargain. Sure, rates and retainers are important considerations, but what is most important is that you will hire the person or firm that will be your best advocate in the courtroom.
Having an attorney represent you means that this is the person you trust to speak for you. You are putting your faith in this person to argue for everything you have a right to, for your rights as a spouse and a parent, and for your children's right to being well cared for and supported. Look at all of your friends and think about the qualities each has. How many of them would you pay to carry this responsibility? How do you find the best attorney to represent you? Following are 10 steps you can take to ensure you make good choices:
When to start:
Ideally, you start your search for an attorney before your spouse. When you contact an attorney to discuss representation, they will take your name and your spouse's name and then put you on hold while they conduct a quick search of their records. As long as they have not spoken with your spouse, they will entertain your call and answer your questions. As you can see, if you live in a small town, you could quickly run out of options if your spouse has already talked to all the lawyers in town. Start early and be proactive.
Talk with friends:
Most everyone knows someone who has recently gone through a divorce. Now is the time to contact those friends and meet for coffee. Ask about their process and who represented them. Ask for a recommendation and clearly understand whether they would choose to use the same attorney again if they had to do it over. Get not only the good report but ask about the negatives so that you are fully aware of the lawyer's strengths and weaknesses.
You also know people who have not been through a divorce, but they may know of others who have, or they may be familiar with local attorneys who you could put on your list to research.
Search the web:
Many law firms now have Web sites. Use them. Search all about the firm and the partners and pay attention to the areas of specialty for the firm. If they are mostly involved in corporate law, this is not the firm for you. You want family law specialists or divorce specialists. You can hire a jack-of-all-trades to mow your lawn, but not to handle your divorce. Look at the resumes of attorneys you've been told about or referred to. Check out where they went to school, how long they've been practicing law, and even their hometown for clues that will help you determine more about them.
Big firm, small firm:
There is a real difference in how you will be treated by the type of firm you choose: big or small. At a big firm, you'll have a big reputation behind your attorney due to the heavy-hitting names of the partners, not necessarily your attorney, but they will have a reputation based on their association. At a smaller firm, you won't have the big names more likely, but you may get better service and slightly lower rates. As you make your calls, check out references and conduct interviews, you'll get an idea of which type of firm you prefer.
Courthouse proximity:
This is strictly a financial reality: your attorney (or someone in their office) will be making several trips to the courthouse on your behalf (and charging you for that time and the expenses). It only makes sense that you make that trip for them as short as possible. When choosing your attorney, make sure their office is a reasonable distance to the courthouse, even if you have to drive farther for your appointments, their time is nearly always going to cost you more than your time or your losses from taking time off from work.
