what kind of lawyer should i hire

What is Important to Know About Any Divorce Lawyer You Think of Hiring

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Of all the things you have to consider about different divorce lawyers you meet with or are referred to, one of the issues you should definitely weigh is whether or not they have trial experience. Although it might seem as if all divorce proceedings are more or less the same, few things could be further from the truth. In fact, things become very different for a divorce lawyer when it’s no longer a matter of simply negotiating and it’s time to present your case in front of a judge.

Once that step is taken, a number of different things can happen that change the divorce from a legal and practical standpoint:

In court, issues surrounding the divorce can become heated. Often, a divorce only ends up in trial because the parties involved have been unable to negotiate an arrangement that everyone considers to be equitable and reasonable. At that point, face-to-face exchanges and back-and-forth arguments can become more prevalent, making it more difficult to achieve any real progress or find a resolution.

When that happens, a good divorce attorney will help you calm down, manage the situation, and keep working toward the issues you have identified as your biggest priorities.

An experienced divorce attorney will be able to better work with different judges and tactics. Every court case is affected by the different personalities involved, and it’s no different with the legal side of the divorce. Knowing a bit about the judges, other attorneys, and tactics that come up in court – and how they are likely to play out – can be an enormous advantage.

Having a divorce lawyer who is experienced in the courtroom can give you the edge in a situation where the outcome is incredibly important.

Your divorce attorney might suggest that you keep your case out of court. There are some situations where your best course of action is simply to avoid taking your divorce to court altogether and finding other ways to reach an agreement. When you have a divorce attorney who is experienced in a variety of different situations, including trial, they can help you spot the opportunities to protect your interests, as well as the best times to pursue different avenues.

In other words, a great divorce attorney won’t put you into a fight you can’t win, and will advise you well in advance of what your reasonable options are to prevent you from the bigger losses that might come during a trial.

Once divorce proceedings move into court, everything changes and the dynamic of the case becomes entirely different. That can be an opportunity for you to protect your money and interests, or it could mean that things are going in the wrong direction, depending on your situation and the quality of your legal representation. Remember that, and be sure to ask about a divorce attorney’s trial experience before you entrust a big portion of your future with them.

Do you need an experienced divorce attorney to stand up for you in negotiations with your spouse? Contact us at 414-258-1644 or visit our website for further information.

3 Questions to Ask a Divorce Lawyer Before You Hire Them

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Going through a divorce can be a difficult and painful process. It’s made even worse by the fact that most people aren’t emotionally or financially ready to handle what’s ahead – even if they are the ones filing for divorce from their spouse. Nonetheless, finding the right divorce attorney is an absolutely critical decision, and one you don’t want to put off any longer than you have to.

With the right divorce lawyer on your side, you can stand a good chance of achieving a fair resolution and protecting that which you are legally entitled to. With the wrong divorce lawyer, however, you could find yourself in the midst of a long struggle that leaves you dealing with unintended consequences for the rest of your life.

Because this is such an enormous decision, it’s important that you do the right kinds of research. Here are three questions to ask a divorce lawyer before you hire them:

How many clients have you represented as a divorce lawyer in the past?

Although experience isn’t everything, it’s important for your divorce lawyer to have a sense of the way things work, and several past cases to draw lessons and insights from. Additionally, having a divorce lawyer with lots of experience allows you to take a closer look at their previous track record and see what they’ve been able to achieve for other clients in the past.

There isn’t any set amount of experience that’s perfect for a divorce lawyer, but be careful working with anyone who hasn’t been practicing for at least a few years or more. Given that the outcome of the proceedings will affect you, your finances, and your family for a very long time, you probably don’t want to entrust the job to someone without a little history behind them.

Who is your perfect client?

Because divorce is such a personal and multifaceted process, there are divorce attorneys who specialize in different types of cases, situations, and even clients. And so, the chances are very good that you could find a divorce lawyer in your area who has helped lots of other people who were in a situation similar to yours in the past.

Ask about your divorce lawyer’s perfect client, because the answer will tell you what sort of situations they are most familiar with – and the ones where they are most likely to get the results you are hoping for.  Also, ask your attorney how you can help and what types of things you can do to assist in the process.  You should be able to have input and control into your own case.  This will save you attorneys fees and give you greater satisfaction with the end result.  Your attorney should welcome your assistance and your input.  After all, it is your life and you have to live with the results.

How will you handle my case?

Depending on the reputation, schedule, and experience of your divorce lawyer, he or she may maintain a very small staff with a couple of executive assistants, or a very large one with several junior attorneys in the office. Neither of those is necessarily better, but it is good to find out from the outset how much of your case will be handled personally by your divorce lawyer, and how much will be assigned to other members of the team.

You should ask your attorney how they will communicate with you, what you should expect in terms of procedure and how things work in general.  You should also ask how quickly your attorney can respond to your questions and/or what happens if they are in court or you can’t get in touch with them.  Communication is key and you need to know up front how this will be handled.

Lastly, you should find out if your attorney will work cooperatively with the other party or his or her attorney or if they plan on litigating from the beginning.  You should decide the answer to this question – not your attorney.  Everyone has different expectations in their divorce and how they want their case to be handled.  Your attorney is working for you and in your best interest.  Sometimes what you want is not necessarily in your best interests, however, and you should feel comfortable listening to your attorney’s advice on this.

Even the most amicable divorces are rarely easy, from a legal standpoint or an emotional one. For that reason, you need to have the right divorce lawyer on your side.

If you have questions about the divorce process, or just want to meet with a divorce lawyer call us at 414-258-1644 to set up a free initial consultation today.  You can also visit our website for more information.

Hiring an “Aggressive” Attorney

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Whether you have finally decided to file for divorce or your spouse has just had you served with papers, the next step is to select your lawyer. You are scorned and upset and you want an attorney that will fight to the bitter end for every penny, no matter what the cost. Whether it is your assets or your kids, you want an attorney that will be aggressive, unrelenting and strong. An attorney that will fight for what you want and not stop no matter what the financial or emotional cost. You have to ask yourself, though, is this really what you want?

There are many attorneys that will fit into this mold and take advantage of your vulnerable situation. When selecting an attorney you need to make sure you have an attorney who is not only a tough advocate but also an attorney who will advise and counsel you. Too often the aggressive “pitbull” attorney will fight without knowing what exactly he or she is fighting for. In a tenuous situation, such as a divorce, parties need to stay focused on the final goal and make sure that goal is realistic. A fight just to fight may result in additional trauma to you, your kids and your pocketbook.

When searching for the right attorney you need to find an attorney who understands the law and will not lead you astray with unrealistic expectations. Attorneys who are willing to zealously advocate for your position, but are strong enough to advise you when your position will not provide you with the result for which you seek. Too often litigants and their attorneys who take too strong arm approach to divorce negotiations which only ends up backfiring. The cost may be more than you can afford.

A good attorney is going to understand your goals, guide your expectations and help facilitate a settlement. A good attorney is going to understand when a settlement is not possible and it is time to prepare for litigation. So when looking for that “aggressive attorney” make sure that the aggressiveness does not come at the expense of placement with your kids or their college education fund.

-Rebecca K. Millenbach