Questions to Ask During a Consultation with a Divorce Attorney

Scheduling an initial consultation with an attorney is a crucial step in the process of hiring a reliable, competent divorce attorney. It is an opportunity to speak with them one-on-one and decide whether you'd like to hire them for your case. Here are six questions that you should be asking.

1. How Long Have You Practiced Family Law?

   Experience is one of the most important factors to consider when hiring an attorney for any reason. When an attorney focuses their practice on one particular area of law, they are more likely to be comfortable and knowledgeable about all the rules and details surrounding it. Hiring a divorce and family lawyer who has many years of experience means they are more likely to have seen cases similar to yours. Also, they are likely more familiar with the court system, the judges, and opposing attorneys you may face during the process.

2. How Much Do You Charge?

   Find out how the attorney bills their time and services and how long they expect your case to take to get an idea of how much your legal fees will cost. But, keep in mind that the number that the attorney gives you is just an estimate based on the details that you have provided to them. While at the time of consultation they may believe your case will only last a few months, things change quickly in family law and the initial estimate may end up being incorrect. It is important to taper expectations and assume the number they gave you is the minimum that it will cost, subject to an increase as the process of the family law case unfolds.

3. Do You Notice Anything Unique About My Divorce Case?

   An experienced divorce attorney should be able to quickly identify the challenges and opportunities your case presents. While on paper your case may look cut-and-dry and easy to work through, oftentimes divorce cases can become complicated very quickly. A diligent divorce attorney can see any potential detours or roadblocks a case may face and work with you to avoid or push through them.

4. How Will You Approach My Case?

   Find out whether the attorney will help you pursue mediation or if they believe litigation offers the best chance of a positive outcome in your divorce. This is where you can really get to know your attorney and their philosophy on family law cases. Some attorneys or firms believe that trying cases in court is the best way to approach divorce, while others believe that you should always strive for settlement. This is also where you can weigh whether the attorney will take a collected approach to the case or pursue it aggressively.

5. What Type of Outcome Do You Expect From My Divorce?

   It’s not uncommon for people beginning the divorce process to hold unrealistic expectations about how their divorces will unfold. It is impossible for an attorney to predict the future or the exact outcome of a divorce case. However, they may offer you a picture of what an ideal outcome, an acceptable outcome, or what an undesirable outcome would look like.

6. What Else Could Result from My Divorce Case?

   Often, divorce cases can evolve into matters of child custody, child support, or spousal support/maintenance. Divorce and family attorneys are well-equipped to handle all layers and aspects of family law, so it is worth asking if they could also assist you with these matters. This would save you the time and effort of finding another attorney to handle these matters that may arise from your case in the future.