Focus On Family Law: 5 Key Strategies When Choosing An Attorney
You’ve heard the old joke about the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer?
A good lawyer knows the law, while a great lawyer knows the judge.
Ha. Ha.
I know, lawyer jokes are funny and all — right up until you need a lawyer, and then they’re — well, unhelpful at best.
Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not a lawyer myself, I just know from experience that everyone would rather make jokes than actually provide useful information when discussing legal matters — and that’s why I wrote this article.
I might sprinkle in a touch of humor here and there — but that’s not what you’re here for, and that’s not the focus.
Rather, the focus is about what your real next steps are when you find yourself in need of a family law specialist — and how to choose the right one.
There’s likely a lot of conflicting advice out there, so let me say one other thing in advance — if you’re even in doubt about my advice, or anything else you hear or read, just call a local professional.
Seriously. There’s nothing worse than working towards a solution that’s based on a mistake, so just don’t, not when a real local professional is only a phone call away.
Now, without further ado:
5 Key Strategies To Consider, Before Choosing Representation
1. Specialization, To A Point
One of my favorite authors, Robert Heinlein, once wrote that “specialization is for insects,” and to a point, I have to agree.
He was referring to the fact that a person should be able to change a tire, cook a meal, wash laundry, start a fire, or write a letter — all very different tasks requiring different skills, but the lesson translates.
While you want a lawyer that’s specialized in Family Law, you don’t want one who’s too specialized.
For example, you may be going through a divorce, and considering getting a lawyer who’s a real divorce expert — but chances are that it won’t end there.
Aren’t you going to need to discuss custody, visitation, and support?
Those all fall under the category of Family Law, but not necessarily divorce — so don’t focus too much on just one specialty.
A more general specialist in Family Law will likely be more effective, and will be more likely to focus on all of your goals, rather than just the one.
2. Ask Questions
Often the best way to get a good idea of how a particular lawyer works, and if they’re the right lawyer for you, is to just talk to them.
Be aware of your case, your needs, and what you’re looking for while you talk, and ask questions.
You get to make the final decision on what to do, but you shouldn’t do it alone.
This is a good time to get a feel for your options, and what a lawyer thinks they can do to help you.
3. Hire A Lawyer, Not A Firm
Unless you’re rolling in the money, there’s a good chance that you’re not hiring an entire law firm, so don’t act like it.
Finding the best firm and getting one of their lawyers at random, isn’t your best option here — because to put it bluntly, they might be terrible.
If you’re not hiring the whole firm, then it doesn’t matter who the firm is, or how many cases they’ve won, because you’re only hiring a single member of the team.
Make sure it’s someone you can work with, and someone you feel confident will work effectively to win your case.
4. Experience, In The Right Place
Just because a lawyer has been practicing since the day dirt was invented, doesn’t mean they’re the right lawyer for you.
You should not assume that they’re experienced in family law just because they’ve been a lawyer for 40 years — this is a specialty field, and it’s complex.
What you want is someone with recent experience in the kinds of problems you’re facing, and that means finding a lawyer who’s experienced, up-to-date, and specialized in the right area.
5. Settlement Vs Litigation
Are you going straight to the courts, or are you going to try to settle things without them first?
No matter which one you plan for, unfortunately, many people end up requiring both by the time it’s all over.
So save yourself some time, and fees, and find a single lawyer that’s experienced at working both in, and out of court.
You may have noticed there isn’t a lot of specific information in here, and there’s a reason for that.
Without knowing your specific case and concerns, I can only provide general advice — but there was one piece of general advice that could help you here.
If you’re not sure of anything, or you have any other questions or concerns, just call a local family law expert — if they can’t help you, they can probably point you to someone who can.
After all, we’re all working toward the same goal here — even if it’s sometimes from opposite sides.
