Disputes between family members can get ugly and heartbreaking; that’s why you need an impartial third party to mediate, represent, or settle on your behalf. But not all family law specialist and lawyers are created equal. To get the best one, you need to pay careful attention when choosing one to work on your case.
The best family lawyer should specialize in family law and the rest of civil law. However, since family disputes often involve issues that can be settled in a criminal court, it’s also beneficial for you if your lawyer can manage both and secure a favorable ruling in both cases.
Unfortunately, great lawyers are not people you casually meet every day. To find them, you need to look in the right direction and expect to pay more than others. But your effort and investment won’t go to waste as they can significantly improve your chances of winning. To jumpstart your search, consider these top six tips from Khalaf Law Group.
1. Conduct market research
Before choosing your legal counsel, make sure to do your research by surveying friends and people you know of. Chances are, you’ll get raw and real feedback from them based on experience. People usually talk openly if they’re satisfied with the service and if they’re unhappy with it. Once you surveyed enough people, make a shortlist and create a more focused and funneled search.
If it’s not possible for you to ask for referrals from people you know, you can always check third-party review websites for feedback. From there, you could at least form an opinion as to who you should probably consult face-to-face.
2. Consult with the lawyers on your shortlist
The best way to gauge your compatibility with your lawyer is to meet them personally and talk to them about your concern. Since you’ll be confiding every detail of your case to your chosen lawyer, you must be comfortable with them. If you choose someone because you’re in a hurry or because you didn’t have an option, it’s you who’s going to suffer later on.
Suppose you’re filing a divorce petition. If you’re at ease with your lawyer, you can confidently discuss matters like your spouse not fulfilling his marital obligations by withholding sex from you. You can also freely discuss with him other intimate and personal details that can help build your case. This would be quite a hassle for you if you just don’t trust your lawyer.
3. Choose the expert in family law
Family law is a complex area of the legal profession that continually changes. Aside from the amendments to the provisions, there are also special laws and new rulings that would serve as a precedent. If you’re filing a divorce petition, go for a lawyer who specializes in this case. It would also work to your advantage if, aside from divorce laws, your chosen lawyer is also experienced in dealing with property disputes and child custody. Chances are, these two issues will arise as you work on your divorce case.
If your case involves domestic abuse, check if your prospect has relevant experience in fighting these cases. And if you think your case is most likely to advance in court, choose a lawyer with substantial courtroom experience.
4. Ensure that your lawyer is accessible
Your lawyer of choice must be accessible to you, which means that they should answer your call, return them promptly when they can’t pick it up right away, and also answer your queries within a reasonable time. It will defeat the purpose of hiring someone who can help your case if you can’t reach them when you need them, right? You will be paying for their services, but what’s the use when you couldn’t get a hold of them?
5. Choose a lawyer who is easy to deal with
Suppose you’re in a middle of a toxic divorce, and you seek this lawyer’s advice as to what you should do with the child custody. Instead of explaining his advice in layman, your lawyer starts throwing legal jargons here and there that you feel your gut on your throat listening to him. While you’re looking for enlightenment and guidance, you ended up more confused than before. To keep yourself from suffering, go for a lawyer who can explain legal matters in layman.
6. Never choose solely because of the price of the lawyer’s services
Your life and family relations are at stake here, so you might as well invest in the right legal counsel. The best lawyers indeed peg a higher professional fee, but you get what you pay for. Since you won’t be filing a case now and then, it’s alright to spend more when you’re sure that you have better chances of getting a favorable decision.
Your lawyer will be your ally while your case is going on. You are putting your life on the line by banking on their expertise. Given this, it’s just right that you choose well and be picky with who you want to hire.