Finding a divorce / family law attorney
(that is right for you!)
No two clients are the same and no two cases are the same. Unlike other legal conflicts, divorce and child custody disputes are personal. They require you to oppose your current or former spouse and family members in court over property and your children's best interests and welfare. These cases are emotionally charged and not easily resolved. Few of us have enough money to make the conflict "just go away" or want to trust our children with family members set on injuring us. Choosing the right family law attorney is the most important decision you can make.
Begin by getting referrals from as many people as possible. Very good people to ask include your accountant or financial planner. You should also talk to friends and family who have used a divorce attorney to see how satisfied they were.
Once you have compiled a list, it's time to select your attorney. Call the prospective attorney and schedule a face-to-face meeting. It is crucial that you meet with the attorney that will actually be doing the work in your case to see if they are someone you can be totally comfortable with.
When you first meet with your prospective attorney, take a list of questions with you so you will remember everything that you want to ask. Let attorneys know that you are going to file for divorce or that you need to respond to your spouse’s claim. When you interview an attorney, find out about their level of experience, and how often they have tried cases in the county where you are filing. Ask them questions about the cases they have handled that are similar to yours. Ask them what percentage of their cases are settled and what percentage go to court. Settling is usually much faster, cheaper, and less emotionally draining - so an attorney who is able to negotiate a satisfactory settlement is worth their weight in gold!
It's usually better to choose a divorce attorney that devotes their practice solely to family law rather than an attorney that is willing to accept any type of case that comes through the door. Do you really want a real estate attorney to handle the custody of your children? Domestic relations law evolves on a weekly basis through the decisions rendered by the Alabama Supreme Court and the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. Experienced family law attorneys know which factors are important to different judges and can present your case in a manner that may allow the judge to be more sympathetic to your circumstances.
Choose an attorney that you feel comfortable You absolutely must trust this person and be completely truthful with him/her so you want to choose someone who you will feel totally comfortable talking to.
If you have special circumstances such as a major custody dispute, an exceptionally large estate, valuable items that are difficult to attach a price to, domestic violence as part of your marriage, etc. check to make sure that the attorney you are talking to has expertise in that area.
Before you hire an attorney, find out how you can expect to communicate with them and how often. If you manage most of your business via the computer, you may want an attorney who is proficient at communicating via email. Find out when you can expect to receive return phone calls and how your questions will be handled and answered. Make sure that you and your attorney of choice are in agreement about how you will communicate with one another.
Choose only an attorney who is willing to explain the divorce process to you. They do this every day and know what is likely to happen next, but it's hopefully a once in a lifetime event for you and you will feel much better about the process if you know what is happening. Make sure you feel comfortable that your attorney is going to keep you in the loop, provide you with all information, and then follow your direction on decisions that you'll be making.
Hire the attorney that is best for you, one that you feel comfortable with and one that you can communicate with. This is a major event that you'll be going through and you want the attorney who will best represent you.