If you are at a stage in your life when you are looking for a divorce attorney, then for sure you are not at your happiest. You will surely need competent help in the days ahead, so it is important that you find a good lawyer. Before you decide which lawyer to hire, look at these divorce attorney qualifications. These will assist you in making a major choice in your life.
Before you look for anything else in a lawyer, make sure that he or she is licensed to practice law in the place where you the divorce will be filed. You can find out if a lawyer is certified by checking with the state bar association. The data available usually includes among other things, the lawyer’s memberships and length of practice.
One of the things you should look at before you hire a lawyer is his or her track record. Be particularly wary of any marks regarding professional misconduct. Find out also if the lawyer you are thinking of hiring has ever been disbarred in another state. Then, look for online reviews about him or her and the law firm he is working with.
Before deciding on a lawyer, be sure that the one you hire has the experience needed to work for your interests effectively. Try to see how familiar he or she is with the family law judges in your jurisdiction. How good is this lawyer in negotiation and in litigation? How much work has he done using these methods?
One of the most basic divorce attorney qualifications is having actual experience in family law. Many lawyers will dabble in different fields in law so that even if they have been practicing for seven years, you will not be able to assume that all those years were devoted to family law. Sometimes, it is best to look for someone who has really concentrated on one field because this will mean he has honed his skills in this area.
Of course, you will not know how good your prospective lawyer’s communication skills are until you have spoken to him directly. Therefore, postpone making a final choice until you have met in person. Your lawyer’s communication skills do not only pertain to speaking in front of a judge; these entail letting you know clearly what developments are taking place and these include being able to clearly understand what you want. Beware of lawyers who flaunt their legalese. They will be talking at you rather than with you.
The importance of ethical behavior in a lawyer cannot be over emphasized. The first test of a lawyer’s ethics may yet be the he talks about other clients when he is speaking with you. Does he divulge confidential information about others? If he does, then he probably will do the same where you are concerned.
A divorce lawyer must understand that children are a priority when a marriage ends. Be sure your lawyer knows how important your children are to you and that he will act accordingly.
Your lawyer should help you see all your options clearly and should be transparent about what is happening. Some lawyers will not bother to let you know about the progress of your case and some will gloss over details which may be important to you. Choose a lawyer who will take the bother to explain things to you.
When you are with your lawyer, he should be 100 per cent present. He should not be distracted by phone calls and emails. He should not allow his secretary or other people to come up to him and interrupt your meeting. Moreover, when you begin your session, he should be well-prepared and it shouldn’t be as if he has to be reminded of everything.
Possibly the most critical of all divorce attorney qualifications is this: you should be able to afford his or her services. Be frank about this and ask your prospective lawyer how much his services cost. That way, you are sure your working relationship will be smooth.