Deciding which lawyer you should hire to represent you in your divorce case is an extremely important decision and one that can make the difference between getting a fair result or not. Here are some criteria that will allow you to improve your chances of hiring the best attorney for the job.
Experience and Board Certification
There is no substitute for experience when it comes to divorce attorneys and you should only consider hiring an attorney who is very experienced in the field of family law. Frequently people will hire a general practitioner, thinking that divorce cases are routine and simple and that any lawyer will do. This kind of thinking is a major mistake. Ideally, you want a lawyer who is board certified in family law by the State Bar. This is a certification held by lawyers who have, by experience and knowledge, shown that they are worthy of recognition as experts in the field of family law. In most states this is an extremely difficult credential for a lawyer to obtain.
Satisfied Past Clients
Probably the best way to determine which lawyer is right for you is to hear from that lawyer’s past divorce clients. If you personally know someone who has been a client of a particular lawyer they can tell you in great detail what it was like to be represented by that attorney. The fact is that some lawyers are simply better at satisfying their clients than others and the only real way to find this out is to hear from those who have been clients.
A Plan for How Your Case Will Be Handled
It is often a mistake in a divorce case for a lawyer to apply a “cookie cutter” approach. In other words, some lawyers use the exact same approach on every single case, regardless of the facts or nuances of your particular situation. This is generally a mistake. What you want is a lawyer who, at the outset of the case, creates a customized plan for how your case will be handled. You wouldn’t use a shotgun if you were trying to kill a mosquito and you wouldn’t use a flyswatter if you were trying to kill a bear. You would use the best tool for the given situation. Your case should be handled in this same way.
Are You Comfortable with the Attorney?
Last but not least, you should be comfortable with and have a good rapport with the attorney. If for some reason you feel that you will not be able to communicate effectively with the attorney, then this is not the right lawyer for you and you should keep looking until you find the right lawyer for your case. It is of the utmost importance that you hire an attorney that inspires your confidence and that you are certain will effectively represent your best interest.
