How to Choose the Right Divorce Lawyer

Divorce is a stressful procedure. It is common knowledge that these types of cases can involve deeply personal details, can last for months or even years, and can be costly. Due to these facts, it is very important that once you do decide to divorce your spouse, you take special care in choosing the right divorce lawyer.

First, you should look for a lawyer whose basic approach to the divorce matches your own. If you have a relatively amicable divorce, you may not want to choose a lawyer or firm who is exceedingly aggressive in his or her approach to every case. How do you know?  Litigation-focused attorneys, rather than resolution-focused attorneys, will focus on litigation tactics, such as immediately filing a Complaint to initiate court action, filing motions or an order to show cause, cleaning out bank accounts, and other aggressive measures.  Conversely, if you have a highly contested divorce with many issues, you should not select a lawyer who urges you to compromise on every issue and settle everything from the outset. You want to take a measured approach, but you still want to get the most favorable deal possible without over-compromising.  Take the time to discuss your position with your potential attorney and discuss his or her typical approach to cases. You should also talk to your attorney about whether or not he or she handles many family law cases. Finding a lawyer who has a practice focusing on family law is preferable, as the attorneys will be better able to advise you on the nuances of divorce and how local judges are likely to rule.

Second, be open with your potential lawyer about budgetary constraints. Lawyers are familiar with working within monetary parameters and the right one for you will be open to having a frank discussion with you about these issues. Even if you retain a high-dollar lawyer, this will not do you much good if the retainer is exhausted just a few months into the case and you cannot afford to keep paying that lawyer. It would be a better plan to hire a lawyer you can afford from the outset.

Finally, you will need to find a lawyer to whom you are comfortable disclosing very personal details. That is not to say that your attorney needs to know every nuance of your relationship with your spouse, but if adultery or financial malfeasance, for example, you need to be comfortable talking to your attorney about these issues. In this category, you will need to trust your basic feelings and instincts as to which attorney you will be the most comfortable with.

in helping our clients to navigate all types of family law issues. Call us today at (732) 529-6937 and we can talk about your divorce and your future.  Please also check out our for other FAQs about divorce topics like this one.