Choosing a Family Law Attorney: 5 Questions to Ask

Not all Irvine family law attorneys are created equal. If you’re thinking about a divorce and are concerned about alimony, child support payments, and the emotional toll a divorce will take on your family, you’ll want to make sure you hire the right kind of lawyer to guide you through the journey. Whether your goal is to remain amicable and have the process go as smoothly as possible, or are dealing with a difficult and bitter former spouse, these five questions will help you gain a better understanding of just what type of lawyer you will be hiring based on their responses.

How Much Experience Do You Have?

While it will always be more expensive to hire a veteran attorney, this is usually precisely what you need to get your divorce done in a way that works for everyone involved. Find out what types of cases your attorney has the most experience in: Do they often handle high income divorces, or focus mostly on middle-income families with little assets to divide? Do they represent same-sex couples or partnerships? Have they frequently litigated the terms of a divorce, or do they have more experience with mediation and settlement? Do they also have experience arguing for child support payments? How have they navigated issues or conflicts in the past?

Judging by their answers, you will get a sense of whether you’re dealing with a shark or a peacemaker, and which type of lawyer you decide to go with will depend on the specific terms of your divorce.

How Will I Be Billed?

It’s important to address the cost of your divorce with any Irvine family law attorneys you are interviewing to take your case on. Even high-income earners want to have a clear picture of how their attorney will bill them for handling their divorce. Choosing an attorney who promises to be transparent about their fees and costs will ensure you both get what you want out of the relationship.

What’s Your Communication Style?

If you’re the type of client who wants easy access to your attorney, make sure you question whether the Irvine family law attorneys you’re interviewing are often available to their clients or prefer to channel communications through an assistant or paralegal. Determine whether they prefer email or phone and what you can anticipate regarding their connectivity and response time.

Can I Collaborate with the Irvine Family Law Attorneys at Your Firm?

Some Irvine family law attorneys won’t ask their clients for input before making key decisions about their approach in arguing their case. If you want to be able to have an opinion about the way your attorney plans to speak with opposing counsel or argue on your behalf, you should search for a team of Irvine family attorneys who understand that such a sensitive process should be collaborative between client and attorney. Contact our office today.