Going through a divorce can be one of the most stressful events in your life. The process can last several months or even years, depending on how contentious (and complicated) your situation is. This is a sensitive and significant issue that can have a massive impact on you and your family. Having an experienced and compassionate divorce attorney working alongside you during your divorce can be an enormous burden off of your shoulders at a time when you need it the most.
The stress of a divorce can take a toll on a person. The experience can be even more difficult when the other parties aren’t willing to cooperate. Divorce is a lengthy and challenging process that shouldn’t be done alone. It’s an economically and emotionally taxing period of your life, making finding a patient and detailed divorce attorney that can help you navigate the process paramount to pursuing the best outcome.
Finding the right attorney is not always a walk in the park. Due to the bevy of options to choose from, you may have to make several phone calls and do a little research beyond typing “Divorce attorney near me” into your Google search bar. At Brackin Law Firm, we know how difficult it can be to find the right divorce attorney, which is why we spent some time demystifying the process. Let’s take a look at the four traits you should be looking for when trying to find the right divorce attorney for your case.
4 Traits of a Good Divorce Attorney
When you are to start searching for a divorce attorney, you may not have specific qualities in mind. There will be many attorneys to choose from, and there is plenty of goodwill text to sift through. When you start your search, keep these traits in mind:
Trait #1. Experience and Competency
It’s no secret that you will want an attorney with experience, but it’s not enough that your attorney has simply handled X amount of cases. Look for an attorney who has experience in family law and divorces similar to what you are going through now. If you have a complex circumstance like custody issues or substantial assets/debt, then find an attorney who specializes in complicated child custody and high-asset cases, respectively.
Having a wealth of dedicated experience in your case’s area of law is ultimately one of the most important factors you should be looking for when narrowing down your search. The divorce attorney you pick must have the ability to handle any of the curveballs that may come your way, whether or not your case goes to trial.
Trait #2. Availability
Asking the attorney about their policies in terms of returning correspondence is crucial. You want to make sure it meets your expectations while you are going through the divorce. It’s essential to understand that your case is likely not the only case that the attorney is working on, so you cannot expect them to always be available to you.
However, your attorney should still answer your questions promptly or give you a time frame where you can expect a response. You may want to steer away from an attorney that is overloaded or understaffed. You want an attorney that has time to dedicate to your case, and makes expectations clear from the start.
Trait #3. Good Communication Skills
During a case, your attorney will have to communicate with various parties, gather information, and stay on top of correspondence. As a client, you should be able to clearly and easily communicate with your attorney. They should also be open to your questions and be willing and able to explain the law to you in a way that you will understand. There also should be reasonable expectations set for you regarding your case and your options at the beginning of your professional relationship, and at any points throughout where strategy changes or new evidence is introduced.
The attorney should also be able to persuasively negotiate with your spouse’s counsel during the case. This allows for future negotiation and settlement, which is typically much more desirable than litigation. If your case does go to trial, then having an attorney that can litigate aggressively and persuasively for you is one that you will want on your side.
Trait #4. Good Analytical and Research Skills
Creating a legal strategy is complicated and takes some time. Every case needs a large volume of information, records, and facts. Your attorney needs to be able to explore and interpret all the material for your case. After this, they will need to organize the information and figure out the best way to move forward and present the information to suit your case.
Your divorce attorney needs to be able to analyze the evidence, craft a narrative and build a strategy that factors in and prepares for challenges. Being able to do quick and practical research is an essential attribute of a divorce attorney.
Baldwin County Family Law—Representation Tailored To You and Your Family
At Brackin Law Firm, we get the results you deserve when you need them most. With more than 40 years of experience, we can provide comprehensive care and representation tailored to your needs and unique situation.
No one divorce or child custody case is the same as the next. We are ready to help you understand your legal stance as a parent, contact us today for the best legal services in Baldwin County.