Attorneys, like any profession, all have their place somewhere along a spectrum of professionalism. The best family law attorneys will be superstars in the courtroom, and a service-minded and comforting listener you have no problem confiding in. Others will be unmotivated, uncommitted, and unwilling to give you the service and quality representation you deserve. If you are paying out the nose for low-quality representation from someone you cannot trust, here are a few things to consider when changing lawyers.

Whether you are in divorce proceedings or negotiating custody of your children, the process of changing attorneys is not very complex. Once you find a new attorney you can trust, she will need to file a court document stating that her and her firm will be representing you in court. After that, you will need to inform your spouse and his or her attorney, as well as any other interested parties that you will be changing attorneys and provide them with your new attorneys contact information. However, changing attorneys, especially mid-case, can have some negative effects as well.

Disadvantages of Changing Attorneys

While you may be fed up with your current lawyer, there is no denying that unless he has completely failed to do his job, he already knows more about you, your family's situation, and your case than anyone else. That tends to make him better qualified than a new attorney, particularly if your spouse has maintained representation by the same attorney throughout the proceedings. Your new attorney may find himself at a competitive disadvantage if you are several months into proceedings. In order to prevent this, thoroughly discuss every detail of your case with your new attorney. Hopefully you have maintained good records of any court communications and documents relevant to your case.

Additionally, unless you flawlessly coordinate the transition between attorneys, you may end up paying both lawyers' fees at the same time! Many attorneys do not invoice their clients until the end of the month, so even several weeks after you have switched attorneys you may be surprised to receive bills for your old attorneys services. However, if you are proactive you may be able to overcome this obstacle. As soon as you retain the services of a new attorney, terminate your relationship with your former attorney in writing and request copies of all outstanding bills. You may want to verify when they bill just to make sure you are paid in full and will not have to pay unexpected costs.

Advantages of Changing Attorneys

If you feel your attorney does not have your best interests in mind or is not doing all he can to represent you properly, changing attorneys may be the best thing you can do to ensure you walk away satisfied. If your current lawyer simply seems to be a bad apple, you may very well be shocked in the performance of a new attorney who will actually fight for you. Divorce is a trying time for everybody, and to navigate it safely it is vital that you have quality representation that cares about your needs. By changing to one of the best family law attorneys available you might stand a much better chance of winning custody of your children, or settling on the best divorce terms possible.