How should I prepare to meet with my new lawyer about separation or divorce?
- Google your lawyer for reviews. There may be a mix of good and not so good. Ask your lawyer about them.
- Determine if your lawyer charges a consultation fee. Some charge a reduced fee for the first meeting. Remember that free advice may not always be the best or most thorough advice. Determine what is the best and cost-effective way to communicate with your lawyer.
- Be prepared to talk about the history of your marriage and the reasons why you want a divorce.
- Talk to the lawyer about your children-how they are, the relationship with the other spouse and other concerns that you have.
- Bring financial information with you if possible: paystubs, tax returns, assets information, etc. If you do not have it, talk to our lawyer about how it can be obtained.
- Talk to the lawyer about any goals you may have.
- Speak to the lawyer about the costs you may incur. You may not be able to get reimbursed from the other party. Ask the lawyer what you can do to reduce your costs if possible.
- Ask how you will be billed and how often. Most lawyers ask for a retainer (a deposit) and then charge their hourly rate against the retainer until it needs to be replenished. Determine what the retainer is and the hourly rate and the amount that you need to pay to replenish the retainer.
- Ask the attorney to discuss in detail all the processes that are available-litigation, mediation, collaborative process, arbitration. There are risks and benefits to any process. You need good information to make good decisions.
- If you can, meet with an attorney who devotes their practice to each of these processes.
- Meet with more than one attorney in any event. You need to be comfortable with the attorney you hire.
- You may need to work on a separation or divorce for longer that you expect. Make sure you and your attorney can work well together.
