Understanding what makes a good lawyer is essential when it comes to choosing one for your own case. There are certain things you must look out for when choosing your divorce lawyer, to ensure your experience isn’t any more stressful than it needs to be.
Qualifications
First things first, when choosing your divorce lawyer or solicitor, you must make sure that they are fully qualified to be dealing with your case. It’s important that your potential lawyer is registered with the Law Society and regulated by the Solicitor Regulatory Authority.
It’s also helpful to have knowledge about your potential lawyer’s background and experience, whether they are a long-serving member of the legal industry or if they are a beginning attorney. This may have an impact on your final decision.
Specific expertise
On top of necessary qualifications, you should research and consider law firms and solicitors that have specific experience with your type of case. Law firms often specialise in certain areas of law, meaning you can opt for professionals that have specific expertise in the services you require.
There are a number of types of divorce that require different legal action, so working with an expert can really benefit you and make sure you don’t fall short along the way. Dedicated professionals, just like our team here at Attwood & Co, have the appropriate skills and experience to make the proceedings run as smoothly as possible for any client.
Recommendations
Following recommendations is always a reliable way to find yourself a good lawyer; one that makes sure you get the most for your money. You’ve got three options – you can ask the recommendations of a professional within the industry, talk to a friend or family member who has been through the same thing, or go online and research reviews or law firms with relevant professional awards.
By following respected opinions or by doing your research, you can help to make sure that you find a solicitor that is dependable and suited to representing your case, as well as affordable and worth the money that you are paying.
Honesty
There’s no denying that you want your divorce attorney to be efficient, but you also want your divorce attorney to be honest. An honest lawyer can provide you with an added feeling of control and security in this, often stressful, time. By choosing wisely, you can rest assured in the knowledge that someone sincere and trustworthy is handling your case and that nothing is kept under wraps.
Face-to-face meeting
Arranging a face-to-face meeting before agreeing to a contract with a lawyer can be beneficial. This way, you can get a real idea of who the person is you will be working with – the person that is behind that law firm’s email address. Not only can you judge their honesty, you can also get a sense of their personality overall to see if you will work well together.
Some firms specialise in certain types of clients, so it’s a good idea to work with someone that suits you and your case. A professional compatibility can do the world of good and really put you at ease.
Ability to communicate
When choosing your lawyer in whatever circumstance, you should look for someone that not only understands you, but for someone that YOU can understand. It’s necessary that you find someone that makes the divorce process as easy as possible for you.
If necessary, your lawyer should be able to break things down into simple and more digestible chunks, explaining any confusing legal terms or lawyer jargon that you don’t know the meaning of – or just leaving it out completely.
Cost
Here at Attwood & Co, we understand the importance of having – and sticking to – a budget. You need to find a solicitor that can handle your case and do it well, without busting your budget. There are many lawyers out there, all with very different skill sets and experience, as well as price ranges.
Before agreeing to any contracts, you should enquire about the cost to make sure there are no issues from there on out. Do some research into what is a reasonable price for the services you are looking for and go from there.
If you would like any help or advice on choosing a divorce lawyer, or if you’d like to find out about any of our other services in divorce and family law, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call us on 01375 898873 or email us on family@attwoodgroup.co.uk.