Divorce is always hard, but it hurts even more when it happens after a lot of fighting in court. But if you hire the right divorce lawyer, you can avoid a lot of pain. This might not be simple. There are a lot of law offices and a lot of lawyers. So, it takes time and effort to find the right one. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Create a short list.
First, make a short list of divorce and family law attorneys. Ask your friends and family for their suggestions. Next, contact professional groups like the Resolution (formerly the Solicitor's Family Law Association) and the Children Panel (if you have kids) and ask for a list of their members. You can also choose a lawyer from the database of the Citizens Advice Bureau's Community Legal Service. Last but not least, you can also look through the Yellow Pages.
Talk about, check, and pick the best
Now, choose the one lawyer you think would be the best fit for you. Visit or call the lawyers on your list, set up appointments with each one, and talk to each one about the details of your case. Ask questions and try to figure out who seems to know the most, be the most capable, and be the most trustworthy. Most of the time, your first meeting with a lawyer won't cost you anything. So, put them to good use.
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Look at the past.
If you think that the divorce part of your case will be easy but that you might have trouble with child custody, find a lawyer who has won hard child custody cases in the past. Also, if you think that proving adultery or infidelity is important to your case, choose a lawyer who has won similar cases in the past.
Find out about every service.
During your interviews, try to find out about the full range of services that each lawyer offers. A divorce case can sometimes have an effect on businesses and trusts. So, choose a lawyer who can help with mediation and other related services. If your divorce is unusual in some way, look for a lawyer who specialises in family law.
Check if the lawyer is a member of the SLFA Specialist Accreditation Scheme or of the Law Society's Family Law Panel, an organisation whose members are known to know a lot about family law.
Find out about costs and fees
Always make sure you know how the person or company you're hiring will charge you. Larger companies have made brochures that list their services, how to pay for them, and how much they cost. Read these carefully and ask questions to make sure you understand everything. Be honest about your money and what you need. Don't lose just because you got to a point where you couldn't pay for the costs of a lawsuit anymore.
Follow what you think is right.
Even though there are no hard and fast rules for how to find the best lawyer for you, going with your gut is often a surprisingly good sign. If you know you can trust someone and are sure of their skills, go ahead and hire them. But if after meeting the person you start to doubt their abilities, move on. Family law is mostly about negotiating and getting along with people, so if you don't like the person, they probably won't do a good job.
If you choose a good lawyer, you won't have to worry about falling into a legal trap, and you'll also know how your case will go.
