Coming to the decision of filing for divorce or being confronted with the idea of divorce by your spouse is a daunting and emotional moment. To ensure that your meetings with prospective attorneys to represent you is time well spent, we suggest you create a list of questions to have prepared to understand the process and determine whether the attorney and you will make a good fit. Below is a list of suggested questions to have prepared to be answered during your initial consultation:
- How long have you been practicing family law and approximately how many cases have you handled that are like mine?
- Are you going to be the attorney directly handling my case? If not, can I meet the attorney that I will be working with?
- What is the best way to communicate with you? Are you responsive to emails? Will I be able to get ahold of you by telephone?
- What is a general timeline for my case?
- Other than your time spent on the case, what else will I be charged for?
- How much do you think the case will cost overall?
- Can my spouse and I negotiate and discuss details of a settlement without your involvement?
- Is it likely that I will have to go before a judge based on what I’ve told you about my case?
- What should I be doing to prepare for this case?
Depending on the specific facts of your situation, there may be additional questions that you have about the divorce process. The best course of action is to have them written out so that you do not forget them when meeting with your potential attorney.
Listen closely to the answers provided by the attorney. If he or she seems hesitant in answering, or cannot give clear reasons as to why there is not a set answer, you may want to consider meeting with additional attorneys before committing and paying a retainer. It is extremely important that you feel comfortable with your attorney as you could be working with them for a significant amount of time, telling them personal details about your relationships and finances.