Probably the most crucial aspect of divorce is choosing a divorce lawyer; ensure that your lawyer has at least the following attributes and abilities:
<ul> <li>Competent in this field</li> <li>Have the right attitude for this work</li> <li>Be reliable</li> </ul>
As far as experience is concerned, an attorney should be able to show that at least half of their work involves divorce cases and have good negotiation skills as well. It also follows that you feel comfortable with them and feel confident they will serve you well. Mediation minded attorneys are more likely to give you problem solving advice, whereas traditional attorneys tend to be more oriented to conflict and their advice tends to be adversarial. Although there will be tasks you need to perform on your own, if you need to speak to your divorce lawyer, write down exactly what help you want from them.
This is best done by knowing exactly what you intend to speak to them about and write down questions and answers in addition to when, and the length of the conversation on each occasion. As all costs relating to law and legal advice are costly, try not to visit them at the office unless absolutely necessary; this can be achieved by using the phone or mail. Regard your attorney as a resource, not someone you depend on for emotional support because they cost too much for you to use them for sympathy and consolation; besides, you have family and friends for that. Try always to stick to pertinent facts when speaking to your divorce lawyer, not general complaints about your spouse's behavior as this is just a waste of your money if use them as a sounding board.
The most important aspect for you to get sorted out is the control of the situation which should be yours and then you will be able to use your lawyer more effectively. It is important they know any decisions regarding the divorce are yours to make and they are there for their knowledge and experience in providing legal recommendations. As the person paying for their service, you should expect to be sent copies of any relevant documents and if there are any issues that need to be clarified that a prompt response by them is expected.
Instead of hiring a lawyer, it may be far more cost-effective to use the lawyer just for information or advice on specific subjects like a marital settlement because that may be all the legal help you will need. For someone taking this route, it is only important that you approach a lawyer to have certain aspects explained once you have carried out you own research. If you have employed a divorce lawyer to help you with a marital settlement, whether you have compiled it yourself or asked them too, it is easy to ask them for additional help if the case does not proceed according to plan.