As a counterpart to last week’s Tips for Hiring a Georgia Divorce Attorney – Part 1, below are five more tips to help you choose the attorney who is right for you:
6. Ask the lawyer how they plan to proceed. Once you have explained your unique situation to the attorney with whom you are consulting, you should have them clarify how they willhandle the case before you retain them. In other words, you should ask questions like: Who will be the primary attorney working on my case? What steps will they immediately take once you hirethem? What path do they expect the case to take? If you are not comfortable with the path the attorney suggests, remember you are not obligated to hire an attorney simply because you haveconsulted with him or her. Continue your search until you find the right fit for you.
7. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Despite popular belief, most lawyers are honest. However, there are some who will say whatever a client wants to hear in orderto retain that client. If a lawyer is guaranteeing you a result or telling you not to worry about how he will be paid right now, that is a big red flag.
8. Be organized. Remember, when you first speak with an attorney who is considering taking you on as a client, they know nothing about your case. Write down a brief summary ofthe facts in your case and bring relevant documents that may help that attorney better understand your case to the initial consultation. These are both things that you can do to help yourattorney truly understand what is going on in your case.
9. Tell the truth. It sounds simple, but often divorce or other family law matters concern very sensitive or private facts and information that many do not feel comfortablesharing with their attorney. But remember, your attorney must know all facts that may be relevant to your case in order to provide you with adequate representation. Your attorney will only beable to help you if you are completely honest. When you speak with your attorney, your communication is protected by attorney-client privilege. That means everything you discuss with him or heris confidential. Be honest with your attorney up front so that he or she will know the correct action to take in your case. If the lawyer you would like to retain does not want to work with youafter hearing the truth then they are not the right attorney for you anyway.
10. Make sure your lawyer focuses his or her practice on your area of law. When hiring an attorney, it is a good idea to make sure that your attorney focuses their practice onyour area of law and has a track record to back that up. This is especially true when dealing with family law issues such as divorce, child custody, child support and alimony. Hiring an attorneywho handles cases such as yours will increase the likelihood that you will be pleased with the result of your case.
While there are countless other things you can do in order to ensure you hire the best lawyer case, hopefully these tips are a helpful starting point.
By A. Latrese Martin, Associate Attorney, Meriwether & Tharp, LLC