Choosing A Qualified Family Law Attorney

A lawyer for legal issues involving family members – divorce, marriage, custody, child adoption, domestic disputes – is a “family law” specialist. These lawyers aid in helping families navigate the lows of divorce and the highs of adoption; they negotiate the ins and outs of prenuptial agreements and fight for individuals involved in bitter family battles. If you require the aid of a family law attorney, be sure and take the time to find someone who is qualified to take on your case. In this article, we will walk you through the steps involved in procuring the services of a family law specialist.

Step 1 – If you have any close friends or family members who have had experiences with family law attorneys, get in touch with them in hopes of obtaining a referral. Make sure to insist of first-hand experiences, rather than hearsay, when obtaining recommendations. This legal area is one which demands a sympathetic understanding between the attorney and client.

Step 2 – Pay some mind to a lawyer referral service. The ABA (American Bar Association) offers links to regional attorney recommendation services in addition to state, national and bar associations. Utilize these resources or your local yellow pages under the listing “attorney referral”. Local associations and a variety of other bars write up directories of their various members. If you notice that an attorney appears on more than one individual directory, then it’s likely that they’re qualified and established. Additionally, you’ll want to locate practices that are near your home, but not a great distance from the courthouse. Gather up a list of 3-5 attorneys and set up interviews with each.

Step 3 – Interview your selected lawyers as you might any other service provider. Provide the lawyer with the specifics of your case, and afford them the opportunity to pose questions. In most cases, the lawyer will want to know a bit about the situation at hand before agreeing to take the case. Inquire as to the experience level of the attorney in addition to their education history. You’ll also want to obtain a schedule of fees upfront. You may also want to ask questions in regard to the attorney’s current case load to determine whether they will be able to offer your case the proper amount of attention. If you feel as though the attorney resents your questioning or is unable to answer satisfactorily, you may want to look elsewhere.

Step 4 – You’ll need to find someone who makes you feel comfortable. Though you don’t need to belong to the same church or political party, you’ll need to choose someone who is compassionate, non-judgmental and supportive. If you take the time to meet with a variety of attorneys, you’ll likely find your match out of the bunch.

Step 5 – Once you’ve narrowed down the field to a couple of options, get in touch with your state’s attorney regulation board to make sure that there are no pending complaints or disputes that have been filed against them. If your favorite checks out, then they are probably well-suited to handle your case.