You don’t choose a divorce attorney by flipping through the yellow pages. There are certain characteristics you want in a divorce attorney. Getting what you want means getting references from people who have used the attorney you are thinking about hiring.
Not only do you want a divorce attorney who has experience with divorce and the family court system, you want an attorney who understands that divorce is an emotional and legal process. No one has as much invested in your own legal and emotional welfare as you. There are divorce attorneys who go the extra mile though and attempt to walk in your shoes while representing you. At times, you may need a shoulder to cry on and someone to fight for you as they would fight for themselves.
You need an attorney who is not only motivated by earning fees but also by protecting the client. To find the attorney that is right for you talk to more than one person who has worked with the attorney. I made the mistake of talking to one person. I believed I could put faith in her opinion because she was a paralegal who had worked with the attorney. I was wrong. My first attorney made mistake after mistake and when it came to fighting the only thing she was interested in was fighting to cover up her mistakes. She didn’t do much for me but I’ve never seen anyone work so hard for herself. I can chuckle about it now because it has been over a decade. I do wish she had represented me in divorce court as well as she represented herself against the malpractice suit I filed.
What can you do to keep from making the same mistake I made?
- Get client testimonials from people who have been represented by the attorney. Get testimonials from friends or family members. If that isn’t an option get testimonials from friends of friends and family members. Get more than one testimonial. Talk to people who have worked with the attorney whose situations during divorce were similar to your situation.
- If you can’t find someone through friends or family members ask the attorney for a list of past clients. This should not be your first choice. An attorney is not going to give you a list of past clients unless those clients are happy with the representation they got.
The best advertisement an attorney can get is word of mouth. If he/she is a good attorney, they will have a reputation for being a good attorney. Make sure you hire one with a good reputation!
