Selecting a family law solicitor is such an important decision. Here is a few prerequisite in finding the proper divorce lawyer.
Experience
You might want to hire a family lawyer who has a vast experience in handling divorce cases in your locality. Most experienced divorce will know the capabilities of different judges in your jurisdiction and would be able to use this information to your advantage. Moreover, your lawyer should major primarily in divorce law. Only a few will hire a divorce lawyer who majors in other areas, thinking that any other lawyer can get the job done.
However, divorce law is a specialized field in the practice which requires targeted skills and experience so as to have a possibility of attaining a successful conclusion.
Testimonials
A testimonial from some past clients is probably the best way to choose a divorce attorney for your divorce case. Ensure you find out about what other past clients have said about him or her, as this will tell you about his success rates and competency in handling your divorce case. You can also ask if your lawyer to produce you with a list of previous clients that can be reached, so you can ask them about their experience with your lawyer and how credible your lawyer is when handling their case. Client confidentiality is also an important factor; any competent and experienced divorce solicitor should at least have a list of past clients who can vouch for him or her.
Accessibility
Most unsatisfied clients always complain about a lack of communication with their divorce attorney. It is important that your divorce lawyer is easily accessible if possible in all available platforms including phone calls, emails, and also prompt in responding to your requests for meetings. You can also ask your lawyer about their work policy, as this will also help you in evaluating your divorce attorney by asking what other clients have to say.
However, if a former client tells you about how hard it is to make contact with your divorce attorney, or probably did not either take or return calls and emails or even take several days to get in touch, you should also consider dropping that lawyer. Divorce is an unpleasant and wearisome process, under all circumstances. If at a point you are unable to contact your divorce attorney or any of his or her staff, your frustration level can increase spontaneously, which might cause an emotional breakdown.
Fees
When making your first appointment with the divorce attorney, you should equally make inquiries about a consultation fee. Some lawyers do free consultations at first, but most experienced divorce attorneys always charge consultation fees ranging from $100 – $200, or charge a normal hourly fee.
However, most lawyers charge consultation fees just to avoid some unserious clients. Consultation fees are not meant to scare off clients as in the case of a $200/hour consultation fee, as some lawyers always give discounts to clients on consultation. It is very important during a consultation that you have a sincere discussion regarding consultation fees with your intending lawyer, should in case you have to pay upfront, and also how often you get to receive invoices.