When your family is your life, you will do everything you can to protect them. Learn what questions to ask a family attorney before you hire.
One of the most important things you can do is choose the right family lawyer to help you with your divorce, child custody, or other family law issue. How your case turns out depends a lot on how skilled and experienced your lawyer is.
That’s why taking the time to thoroughly interview prospective lawyers is so critical. You want to hire someone you feel comfortable with and who you can trust to fight for your best interests.
To help you find the perfect fit, here are the top 10 questions to ask when interviewing a family lawyer:
1. How do you ensure mediations remain calm?
Mediation is often used in family law cases to reach agreements without going to trial. Your lawyer’s approach to mediation can impact its success Some attorneys take an aggressive stance in mediation while others aim for a calm, cooperative tone
Ask the lawyer to describe their mediation style Do they work to diffuse conflict and find common ground? Getting a sense of how they conduct mediations will help you understand how they might negotiate your case,
2. How do you keep clients updated on their case?
Family law cases often drag on for months or years. It’s important your attorney keeps you regularly updated on the status.
Ask how often the lawyer communicates with clients and by what methods (email phone in-person meetings, etc). Do they have a team member dedicated to client relations? Frequency and quality of communication varies among law firms.
3. Can you describe your most difficult family law case and how you handled it?
You want an attorney who has the experience and tenacity to take on tough cases. Understanding how they’ve handled complex cases in the past offers insight into their skills and approach.
Check to see if they give specifics about the problems the case presented, their approach, and the outcome. The best lawyers will give you specific examples that make you feel like they can handle your case.
4. What do you consider the most important factors in drafting a will?
While each will is unique, there are key issues family lawyers must address such as naming beneficiaries, appointing executors, distributing assets, and planning for incapacity.
Listen to the lawyer’s priorities when drafting wills to assess if they align with your concerns and goals. Their response will indicate their knowledge of estate planning intricacies.
5. What is your approach to prioritizing client cases?
Reputable family lawyers juggle multiple active cases at once. Ask how they determine priorities when dealing with competing client demands.
Ideally, they use some combination of case urgency, trial dates, and client needs to plan their workload. They should be upfront about their process so you know what to expect.
6. What percentage of your cases go to trial versus settling?
Family lawyers have different philosophies about pushing for settlement versus taking cases to trial. Some prefer to avoid trial while others aren’t afraid to litigate when needed.
Understand the lawyer’s general trial philosophy so you can assess if it matches your preferred approach. There are pros and cons to both settlement and litigation so it’s helpful to know their typical patterns.
7. Do you have experience handling military divorces?
Military divorces involve special rules and complications other divorce lawyers may not grasp. If your case involves military spousal or retirement benefits, it’s essential to hire a lawyer knowledgeable about those intricacies.
Don’t assume all family lawyers have worked military cases. Ask specifically about their experience to be sure they can expertly handle your military-related concerns.
8. How do you charge for your services?
Lawyer fees can quickly skyrocket so it’s important to understand exactly how you’ll be billed. Most charge hourly rates but some use flat fees for certain services.
Ask for a detailed breakdown of their rates for items like consultations, document drafting, court appearances, travel fees, and paralegal work. Get clarity on the billing process and what upfront retainer you’ll need to provide.
9. Can you share some client references I could contact?
Speaking with a lawyer’s past clients offers invaluable insight into their skills, bedside manner, and results. Any quality family lawyer should be able to provide references on request.
Reach out to references and ask about their overall experience working with the lawyer. Also ask if their case outcome met or exceeded expectations.
10. Do you have experience with cases involving domestic violence?
Domestic violence brings added complexity to family law cases. If your situation involves abuse, it’s essential your lawyer has specific experience handling those sensitivities.
Ask the lawyer directly about their background with domestic violence cases. Try to get a sense of how many they’ve handled and if they’re trauma-informed in their approach. Their experience level can impact your safety and case success.
Taking time to thoroughly interview prospective family lawyers and ask the right questions will help you identify the best attorney for your needs. Be sure to assess their mediation style, communication practices, case experience, billing process, and overall approach to shape your hiring decision. With sage guidance from a trusted advisor, you can navigate your family law matter with greater confidence and clarity.
When Looking For a Family Attorney, You Need To Know What To Look For
If you are going through a difficult divorce or other family law issue in El Paso County, you probably have a lot of questions you want to ask a family lawyer. You need to know what to do and what will happen next. You also need to know how things work, what your rights are, and what your choices are. But none of those answers are enough on their own; you also need to be sure that the family lawyer answering your questions has the right experience and is the right person to help you through what could be one of the most important and difficult times in your life.
Job Interview Questions To Ask a Family Attorney
If you want to make sure the family lawyer you’re talking to is the right one for your case, here are some questions you can ask:
- How long have you been practicing law in Colorado Springs?
- How much of your practice focuses on family law?
- Do you handle other types of cases?
- How long have you worked on family law matters?
- Will you be the one to handle my case, or will I be working with another lawyer in your firm?
- How many family law cases do you have going at the moment?
- How many trials or hearings about family law have you had in the last year?
- Do you work with both men and women? If not, explain.
- How long will my matter take?
- Do I need to pay you a retainer up front? If so, how much?
- How often will you bill me?
- How long after you bill me is payment due?
- Do you have an idea of how much my case will cost?
- What are the terms of your fee agreement?
- Do you accept credit cards or offer payment plans?
- Is there someone else in your office I can call if I need to talk to you but you’re not near?
- How long will it be before I hear back from you about important or general matters if I have to leave a message?
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