Complex family matters require proper legal representation. Hence, its crucial to find the right family attorney to handle such cases. There are many family-related legal issues, including divorce, child support and relocation, etc. For this reason, it'll be wise hiring lawyers with enough experience dealing with a case like yours.
However, before you hire a family lawyer, you must ask these four questions first:
How long Have You Been Practicing Family Law?
This question is highly essential when looking for an experienced family lawyer. It is good to be sure and confident that the attorney has adequate knowledge of legal family matters. The lawyer is highly capable of streamlining your case. On the contrary, an amateur attorney may not be conversant with the intricacies involved in different family-based legal issues.
How Many Similar Cases Have You Successfully Handled?
When you ask this question, most attorneys reply with a huge number. Thus, it's crucial to ask the attorney how many cases like your circumstance they have dealt with successfully. For instance, an attorney may have dealt with over 100 divorce cases, but may only have dealt with a couple of complex child support cases. Besides, how many similar cases have they represented in a trial? This question is vital, especially when the opposing party is adversarial in your case.
What's Your Email and Phone Response Time?
Consider the time it takes to receive a response when you email or call an attorney. For most individuals, the most convenient attorney is one who responds to their concerns under 24 hours. Hence, it can help to understand your lawyer's terms of service and policies before the case proceeds any further. Determine their preferred communication model — either via phone or email, on a daily or weekly basis.
Who Else Will be on the Team? What's Their Experience?
Most accomplished attorneys have a robust legal team to work on complex cases, including paralegals and other support associates. A team approach is excellent and can benefit you more as it's versatile to your case's demands. Additionally, they may use external consultants, such as personal investigators or financial advisors in cases such as divorce. When your attorney recommends the inclusion of other experts in your case, always ask about their experience levels, cost and familiarity with their work.
Conclusion
Family law can be complicated, with many intricacies that require assistance from an experienced attorney. To get the best representation, be sure to ask the four questions above to help you choose a dependable family attorney.