If you and your partner are not seeing eye to eye, you may need to work with a divorce lawyer to complete your case. Good lawyers can be expensive, and it’s important to spend your time and money wisely during a family law case. During an initial consultation with a family law firm, here are some questions you should ask to determine if a divorce lawyer is the right fit for you.
What is Your Communication Process?
Information needs to be sent back and forth throughout your divorce process. How will information make it from you, or your lawyer, to your spouse? Do they only communicate by phone to answer questions and provide legal advice? Will your lawyer expect you to serve papers or share documents, or will they have someone deliver the necessary paperwork to your spouse or your spouse’s lawyer?
These logistics can quickly become complicated. You should choose a lawyer with a viable solution and good communication skills.
How Much Experience Do You Have?
The best divorce lawyer has extensive experience in the divorce legal process. Ask your potential lawyer how much experience they have handling divorce cases. Be sure to ask them questions about your specific case. If you want sole custody of your children, ask the lawyer about their experience with custody battles. If you are splitting a large marital estate, inquire about how they have previously handled large estates.
The lawyer should give anecdotes and examples of their work. After you’re done with your consultation, you should ask for a list of references and call former clients on the phone.
Ask About Testimonials and Reviews
Many lawyers like to assert that they are the best at what they do, but can they prove it? Reputable lawyers with an excellent track record should have testimonials or reviews you can search. They will often display these reviews on their website.
Remember that most lawyers will only display reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers. It’s impossible to please everybody; even the best lawyers will have dissatisfied clients. If you do a Google search for reviews of a potential lawyer, you will likely find more reviews and testimonials they didn’t post.
Even still, you can ask your lawyer to explain the type of client experience they provide in general terms. Having these reviews is essential in determining if a divorce lawyer is right for you.
How the Right Ocean City, MD Divorce Lawyer Can Impact Your Case
Hiring a lawyer should be the first thing you do when encountering any legal matter, not a last resort. Whether you’re thinking about a separation or divorce or have been charged with a crime, been injured in an accident, or your civil rights have been violated, you need to first know your rights. Contact Mike Mastracci today at 614 Edmondson Ave Catonsville, MD 21228 (with satellite offices in Ocean City, Snow Hill, and Salisbury, Maryland), 410-869-3400, and check us out on Facebook.