Ask any divorced person, it takes little for a relationship to go sour. One second the world seemed like a fairy tale, and the next it becomes a proverbial war zone. Keeping this in mind, it is important to keep a divorce lawyer in your contacts. Hiring a divorce lawyer is a tough business because you need to find the right fit for you, one who handles the divorce with care because there are a lot of emotions involved. It is a good idea to form a checklist you should go over before hiring a divorce lawyer.
Fees
Compare the fee structures of various lawyers before hiring because these comparisons allow you to find one that charges less money for providing the same services. Look for lawyers working in sole proprietorships rather than in law firms.
Experience
Experience counts for everything when it comes to a divorce lawyer. Look for one who has handled many cases of divorce, because chances are that he or she will have handled a divorce similar to yours in the past. Not all divorces are the same, but experienced lawyers will have a good institution about what course of action to take next.
Experienced lawyers know how to handle a sensitive situation with care because they are skilled in communication and know where to give leeway and where to take a firm stance. Hiring a good lawyer will be the key to influencing the jury’s decision in your favour; whether you get a good settlement and custody of your child or not.
Reachable
Communication is very important when it comes to divorce. Divorces are complex and it is important that you convey every single detail of your relationship. Chances are that a minute detail can give a big break in the divorce process giving many other benefits. So it is important to hire a lawyer who is very easily accessible whenever you feel the need to talk to him.
Record
How do you know the lawyer that you hired will be best suited to your needs? Sure, he has charisma and is available to talk to all the time and he has tons of experience. But what really separates a good lawyer from an excellent one is his previous record. Experience counts for little when the lawyer you have hired does not have a good record in winning cases. Ask previous clients about the performance of the lawyer and check his previous record to gauge his success rate. Ask questions like, “is the lawyer sensitive to your specific need?” and “how has he treated his previous clients?” Answering these questions will give you a good overview of the lawyer’s ability.
Comfort level
Choose a lawyer who you feel completely at ease with when talking about the details of the divorce. Divorce is a sensitive matter and a good divorce lawyer should be friendly and his demeanour should invite conversation from the client, so that no details go amiss. In short, hire a lawyer who is a good listener.
