Divorce Lawyer
If you have to employ the services of a divorce lawyer then you need to be confident you have chosen correctly; ensure that your lawyer has at least the following attributes and abilities:
*Have successfully practiced this area of law for some time *Have the right disposition *Be dependable
As far as experience is concerned, an attorney should be able to show that at least half of their work involves divorce cases and have good negotiation skills as well. All this will be waste if you do not feel you can trust them, so look for a person you feel comfortable with.
Those attorneys who prefer mediation will look to solve problems by talking and not through the conflict based approach many attorneys wish to provide. To save time when you contact your divorce lawyer, keep conversations brief and to the point, which can be achieved by preparing what you need from them in advance.
Whether you intend to see them or speak on the phone, write everything down as this is the most efficient way to utilize your legal representative and keep a record of dates and times you spoke with them. Keep a record of all correspondence and conversations and try where possible to have conversations on the phone which will reduce the amount of time required to see them in person.
Remember you divorce attorney is there for their expertise in the field and not to act as a counselor, you should hopefully be able to use people close to you for that. The behavior of your spouse, unless pertinent to the divorce, is of no concern to your divorce lawyer and will only distract them from the task at hand.
The most important aspect for you to get sorted out is the control of the situation which should be yours and then you will be able to use your lawyer more effectively. Your legal representative must be told up front that whilst his or her advice is essential, all decisions regarding the divorce will be made by you. You will need to instruct them to forward any information they have received to you and you expect a prompt reply to any issue you may raise.
If money is an issue, it may be a preferable for you to only contact a lawyer for legal advice on a marital settlement but not representation. In these circumstances you may only need to write down any issues you are unsure about and speak to your lawyer regarding those, and possible outcomes. Divorce lawyers can draw up or assist with marital settlements their clients have drawn up themselves, but in this scenario, if things awry at least you will have someone who is familiar with your case.