3 Things You Need to Know When Hiring a Family Law Attorney

You have found yourself in the market for a family law attorney. Thankfully, there are a lot of lawyers to choose from. If you take one thing from this post, know that not all attorneys are created equal. Yeah, that is a play on words, but the important thing to realize is that choosing the right attorney can make or break your case. You must choose wisely.

There are many things to consider when choosing an attorney. Here are three I find critical:

The attorney prioritizes their communication with clients.

Trust me, when you have an ongoing family law case, you are going to want and need easy access to your attorney. Not 24/7 access, but you have to know they will timely respond to your e-mails and answer the phone when you call. Your family law attorney is not here just to draft documents and appear in court. Your family law attorney should guide you through the process, strategize with you, and listen to your concerns. This leads to a better outcome. Your attorney needs to know you. Every case is different. If your attorney doesn’t know you and what you want, how can they get it for you?

The attorney has expert-level trial skills.

Throughout the course of your case, you will hear three things repeatedly: Settle outside of court. Don’t let the judge have the control. Trial is expensive. Those things are all true, but I have another thought…

Think of your family law case like a boxing match – not in the traditional sense but stick with me. Imagine that before the match, the boxers and their agents negotiate. If the terms are right, they decide to split the purse to avoid the fight and the risk of getting hurt. What would happen if your lawyer stood toe to toe with the opponent and the opponent knew they could win – would they try to take more from you? In the alternative, what if they knew your attorney could beat them – would they give up more to avoid pain and embarrassment? Having a good “boxer” on your side is the key to settlement. If your fighter is good and opposing knows it, you have a better chance of a fair result. And, when settlement is not possible, you will be thankful for your fighter’s skill when you enter the ring and hear that bell.

The attorney is worth the investment.

Hiring a family law attorney is an investment. Cheaper is not better. Don’t be tempted to hire the “budget lawyer” – I can almost guarantee you’ll pay the price later. There are lawyers that do what I call “dabbling.” They do a little of this, and a little of that. I know one thing for sure – you want your attorney to specialize in family law. These cases are nuanced. The judges care about the credibility and skill of the lawyers involved when making their decisions. It pays to have a good lawyer, but having a good lawyer pays off.

A shameless plug: Family law is not part of what we do at Sopiak Law, it is all that we do. We are strong and skillful “boxers”. We train hard and pride ourselves in excellence. We don’t overextend ourselves with too many cases; we choose our clients wisely, too. Our measure of success is not in the volume of clients we serve, but in the quality of service we provide to each of them. Our clients are glad they chose us because we are accessible, we care, and, frankly, we are really good at what we do and how we do it.   

Not all attorneys are created equal. Choose wisely.