A good consumer knows that he or she always has a choice when contracting for a service.
This is just as true for those looking for lawyers as looking for any kind of tradesman.
If you want to hire a lawyer, make sure that you ask him or her the five questions below.
They may not cover every bit of ground for your personal case, but they should give you a good idea of how competent the lawyer may be and how likely he or she is to help you make it through your divorce comfortably.
Is This Your Specialty? If you live in almost any city in the United States, you might notice that there are more than a few lawyers around.
If you live in a major city, there might be hundreds.
As such, you might want to make sure that you find a lawyer that actually specializes in divorce.
While many lawyers may be able to handle the process of a divorce, you will be better off if you are able to find an attorney who has a bit of real-world experience with the process.
How Much Do You Charge? This might seem like a basic question, but it is very important.
Lawyers should not be the kind of people who keep price sheets around.
A good lawyer will look at your case before he gives you any kind of price.
If you just want something basic, he or she may be able to give you a rough quote - be careful of anyone who offers you a flat price, though.
A good lawyer knows that a more complex case takes more time and thus more money.
How Do You Feel About Going to Court? Many divorces do not go to court.
Unfortunately, this often means that many divorce attorneys will not try to go to court even when it is appropriate.
If you need an attorney that will actually fight for you, you should take the time to make sure that he or she is comfortable with the idea of going to court.
If not, you might want to look elsewhere.
From time to time, you really do need a fighter in your corner.
What Do You Think of Mediation? Mediation is a rather major part of divorce law for attorneys who want to save their clients money.
It reduces court fees, and it often works to help make the process go more easily.
Unfortunately, some lawyers think that anything short of going to court shows weakness.
What your lawyer thinks about mediation tells you how likely he or she is to work outside the box.
Why Do You Handle Divorce Cases? This is a big question, but one that is not often asked.
If you want to find out how a lawyer will handle your case, ask why he or she practices divorce law.
How he or she answers the question will tell you quite a bit about his or her personality and ability to work on your case.