If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage and file for divorce, one of the first things you should do is hire an experienced divorce lawyer. While retaining a divorce lawyer is not required, having legal counsel will make the divorce process go much more smoothly. This is especially true if you and your spouse are on very bad terms and you expect an acrimonious divorce. However, hiring a divorce lawyer is not enough — you need to make sure that you hire the right one. Avoid the following common errors that people make when hiring a divorce lawyer:
Hiring a Random Lawyer
When it comes to hiring a divorce lawyer, it is always in your best interest to do your research and be prepared. The last thing that you should do is do an online search for divorce lawyers in your area and hire the first one that you find. You will be much better off if you make a list of local divorce lawyers who have good reviews and then schedule consultations with the top options. Consultations with a divorce lawyer are usually free of charge, so take the time to interview a few different lawyers before you sign any type of contract.
Choosing a Lawyer You Can't Afford
When you're going through a bad divorce, it is natural to want to hire the very best divorce lawyer available. However, divorce lawyers set their own fees, and some very-in-demand divorce lawyers are very expensive. Before you begin meeting with divorce lawyers, be realistic about how much you can afford to spend on legal services. It doesn't make any sense to hire a very expensive divorce lawyer if you will be unable to realistically pay for all services rendered from the beginning of your case until your divorce is finalized.
Choosing Based on Price Alone
While you should not hire a divorce lawyer that you can't afford, you should also avoid hiring a divorce lawyer based solely on their rates. When deciding on a divorce lawyer, don't let low prices be your main factor. You should look at a number of things, such as education, training, and years of experience, when selecting a divorce lawyer to represent you. In many cases, divorce lawyers with prices that are much lower than other lawyers in the area take on a lot of clients, so they may not be available to provide help when you need it.
Contact a law firm like Gomez May LLP to learn more.
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