When facing divorce, having experienced legal advice by your side is invaluable. From fighting for custody of children to negotiating large financial settlements, an experienced New York divorce attorney is ready and waiting to guide you through these life-altering experiences.
Consider these questions when choosing an attorney:
1. Reputation
Divorce attorneys provide clients with assistance during one of the most trying times in their lives. In addition, they may assist with other forms of family law such as child custody/visitation arrangements, spousal support agreements and property division claims.
Clients should carefully choose a divorce attorney with an excellent track record and can provide effective legal representation. Communication between both parties should remain open and honest for effective legal representation to be provided.
Though it can be uncomfortable, sharing personal details with an attorney is necessary in order for them to do their job well and build a solid case on your behalf in court. Doing so increases your odds of receiving favorable outcomes from their representation.
2. Experience
When selecting a divorce attorney, it’s essential that they recognize how emotionally draining this process can be. Furthermore, selecting one with experience handling cases similar to your own is also paramount – performing an online search or asking friends and family members for referrals is often effective ways of finding one.
An experienced divorce lawyer can protect their client’s rights and interests when going through a separation or divorce, including issues like property division, alimony payments, child custody disputes and support payments.
Quality divorce attorneys can also assist their clients in preparing for a trial by collecting evidence, introducing witnesses, making opening and closing statements and creating opening and closing arguments. It can be an extensive process so it’s essential that clients hire an attorney familiar with this type of litigation case.
3. Fees
Divorce can be costly, but working with a lawyer can help minimize costs. Lawyers typically charge either a flat or hourly fee and may include extra costs such as photocopies, mailing costs and court filing fees as part of the deal.
An experienced divorce attorney can lower legal expenses by mediating or finding ways to avoid litigation, and can negotiate on their clients’ behalf to reach a fair agreement regarding property division, visitation rights, child custody arrangements and spousal support payments.
Many divorce attorneys offer free consultations and outline their fee structures up front, while offering payment plans. It’s essential that you know the total cost of your case before hiring an attorney; their written fee agreement or retainer should outline this information clearly.
4. Time commitment
Divorce attorneys must remain neutral and understanding during these emotionally charged proceedings. Their duty is to evaluate all the factors which could have an effect on a client’s case, and devise ways of mediating disputes without resorting to litigation.
Divorce attorneys must assess everything from financial statuses of both spouses, to fault grounds (such as abuse or adultery) in order to assess if one spouse should receive spousal support and how much should pay. Furthermore, attorneys are also charged with determining how to shield one partner from debt that should technically fall on another; by doing this they are protecting clients’ interests while helping prevent rash decisions that might impact long-term well-being.
5. Communication
An effective communication ability is one of the primary factors to look out for when searching for a divorce attorney. They should listen carefully while explaining legal proceedings and setting realistic expectations.
Advocate on your behalf in courtroom proceedings; this requires them to present your case in an approachable and compelling manner, inspiring confidence from judges and juries alike.
No matter when or where they are busy or out of the office, your lawyer should always be available and clear when answering questions or providing answers promptly and clearly. Be sure to inquire as to their policy on returning messages in a reasonable timeframe when interviewing potential candidates; failure to do so should raise red flags.